J^ifcJ-^ •«« 


Ns.       PRINCETON,     N.    J. 


^^-        ■  ^         '^^^' 


Divisic;. 
Section  . 
Shelf. Number 


LETTERS 


ON 


THERON    AND    ASPASIO 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE  AUTHOR. 


BY  ROBERT '^ANDE.MAN, 


FROM    THE    FOURTH    EDINBTRGH    EDITION. 


ONE  THING  IS  NEEDFUI/. 


NEW-YORK : 

JOHN    S.    T  A  Y  L  OR. 

BOSTON : 
WEEKS,  JOKDAN,  »&   Co. 

1838. 


W.  B.  &  T.  SMITH,  PRINTERS, 

No.  83  Division-street. 


PRIITC2T0II 
.ftLC.  APR  1882 
THSOLOGIC&Ii 

ONTENTS 


In  general  these  Six  Letters  contain  Reflections  on  Popular,  on 
Fashionable,  on  Political,  and  on  Apostolical  Christianity,  more  espe- 
cially tlie  first  and  last  of  these  ;  and  also  on  Philosopliical  Religion. 

LETTER  I. 

Serves  as  a  General  Introduction  to  the  other  five.  Sublime  Senti- 
ments in  the  tvvo  volumes  of  Meditations,  &c.,  in  the  Sermon  called 
The  Cross  of  Christ  the  Christiaji^s  Glory,  and  Dialogues  between 
Theron  and  Aspasio. — Several  Passages  quoted  from  the  Dialogues. — 
Capital  Spring  of  all  Mistakes  about  the  Apostolic  Gospel. — Aspa- 
sio's  Account  of  Faith. — Passages  quoted  from  the  Night  Thoughts, 
page  1. 

LETTER  II. 

Connection  betwixt  the  Honour  of  the  Clergy  and  Mistakes  about  the 
Christian  Religion. — Summary  View  of  the  Doctrine  of  many  emi- 
nent Preachers  concerning  Redemption,  Faith,  Conversion,  &,c. — 
The  Concurrence  of  three  Things  necessary  to  form  the  Conversion 
much  contended  for  at  present,  15. 

LETTER  III. 

Ancient  State  of  the  Controversy  about  the  Gospel  applied  to  our  own 
times,  from  beginning  to  end  of  this  Letter. — Particulars :  Contro- 
versy stated,  36. — A  Passage  in  the  Dialogues  considered,  37. — Paul's 
Rebuke  to  Peter  Paraphrased,  42. — Character  of  the  Pharisees  con- 
trasted with  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  43. — No  difference  among  Men  as 
to  fitness  for  Acceptance  with  God,  51. — Jonathan  a  Jew ;  first  a  Sad- 
ducee,  then  a  Pharisee  ;  relates  the  Story  of  his  Conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity, 56. — The  refined  Idolatry  of  the  Jews,  in  the  Apostolic  age, 
compared  to  what  takes  place  in  our  own,  67. — Some  remarkable 
Passages  in  Ezekiel  considered,  77. — Source  of  Mistakes  about  Jus- 
tification, 81. 

LETTER  IV. 

Divides  itself  into  three  heads,  containing  Reflections  on  Mystery,  on 
Reason,  and  on  Spirit. 

Mystery. 

The  Scripture  sense  of  this  Word  opposed  to  the  common,  86. — The 
noted  Passage  in  2  Pet.  chap.  1,  concerning  the  Vision  on  the  Holy 
Mount,  and  the  AVord  of  Prophecy  considered  at  large. — Particulars 
— Connection  of  that  Vision  with  what  was  seen  on  the  Day  of  As- 
cension.— Full  import  of  the  Prophecies  concerning  Christ's  Resur- 
rection.— Ultimate  end  of  the  Shechinah. — State  of  happy  Souls 
departed,  and  glorified  Bodies. — The    Voice  the   meaning  of  the 


IV  CONXrNTS. 

Vision.— The  Power  ami  Coming  of  the  Messiah  as  foretold. — Ful- 
ne:^s  of  the  Divine  Chtiractcr,  tuid  end  of  Sacrifices. — Accomplish- 
ment of  the  Promises. — End  of  all  Holy  Places. — Note  on  these 
word.s,  God  is  a  SpirU. — Temper  of  Modern  Judaizers,  ^0. 

New  Testament  Chnrch  or  Kingdom  of  Heaven  established  by  tlie 
Divine  Law,  opposed  to  AVorldly  Estal)lishment.s. — Common  expec- 
tation of  some  general  Conversion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  groundless. 
— Glance  at  Church  History. — Cousiunption  of  Antichrist,  &c.,  107. 
— Literal  Version  of  the  Text  in  Peter  concerning  the  Word  of  Pro- 
phecy.— Rule  of  Interpreting  the  Prophecies,  131. 

Tlie  Divine  Three  are  One. — Divine  Sovereignty. — Myster}-,  how 
used  by  Popular  Preachers,  136. 

Reason. 

Blau  distinguished  from  other  Animals  by  what  he  knows  of  God  and 
his  Law. — The  Natural  Conscience  furnishes  only  reasons  of  Duty, 
which,  when  uncomplied  with,  turn  out  to  be  reasons  of  Despair.-^ 
The  Gospel  furnishes  a  Divine  reason  of  Hope,  by  evidence  peculiar 
to  the  Voice  of  God,  146. 

Philosophy  compared  with  the  Popular  Doctrine. — Several  Pa.ssage3 
in  Essays  on  Morality  and  Natural  Religion,  and  a  late  Natural  His- 
tory of  Religion,  considered. — General  Rcilections,  155. 

Spirit. 

The  nature  and  tendency  of  Good  and  Bad  Influence  on  the  Mind  of 
Man. — The  History  of  tlie  Sjjirit  of  Self-dependence,  in  its  Opposi- 
tion to  the  Spirit  of  the  Truth,  carried  forward  from  the  Fall  of  the 
Angels,  and  that  of  Man,  184. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Religion  of  the  present  Age,  more  especially  on  the 
Point  of  Acceptance  with  God,  evinced,  by  producing  a  Specimen 
of  the  Doctrine  patronized  by  the  following  names:  Erasmus,  Locke, 
Tillotson,  Hutchinson,  Watts,  Doddridge,  Guthrie,  Boston,  Erskines, 
Mandeville,  &c.,  215. 

LETTER   V. 

General  Reflections  on  True  and  False  Religion,  237. — Artifices  of 
many  Preachers  concerning  Faith,  239. — Theron's  Conversion  Re- 
viewed, 244. 

Apostolic  Distinction  of  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity. — Faith  described  by 
the  Truth  believed. — All  who  believe  the  same  Truth,  who  have  the 
same  notion  of  Divine  Grace,  or  who  understand  these  words,  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  in  the  same  sense  with  the  Apostles,  have  equally  pre- 
cious Faith  with  them. — Apostolic  notion  of  Divine  Grace  illustrated 
and  ascertained  by  what  happened  in  the  Synagogue  of  Nazareth; 
what  is  said  of  the  Ten  Lepers ;  two  Debtors ;  case  of  Infants ; 
Thief  on  the  Cross. — Sentiments  of  many  Preachers  on  the  case  of 
the  Thief,  256. 

Capital  absurdity  of  the  Popular  Doctrine,  279. — Reasons  why  the 
simple  Truth  is  despised. — Ignorance  of  the  Divine  Justice. — Con- 
tempt of  the  Divine  Sovereignty,  290. — The  Faith  approved  in  Scrip- 


CONTENTS.  T 

tare  — Arts  used  to  underniiiu!  it,  300. — Artful  u.-c  ofSimiliti-.dos;  of 
the  Scriptures,  310. — ropular  Preachers  compared  witli  some  critical 
Reiisoners  against  the  Atonement,  321. — P'aith,  how  obtained,  331. — 
Conversion  of  a  Popular  Preacher  described,  335. 

Postscript  to  Letter  V. 

Apostolic  distinction  belwixt  the  Assurance  of  Faith  and  the  Assurance 
of  Mope. — Agency  of  tiie  Holy  Spirit  in  both. — The  case  of  those 
who  sutfered  for  th'e  Truth  in  the  sixteenth  century. — Consequence  of 
the  Controversy  with  Arminus. — Tiie  nuxler!i  Assurance  compared 
with  the  ancient. — Faith  of  Devils  and  Reprobates,  336. 

LETTER  VL 

Acts  of  Faith  properly  so  called. — The  change  of  Mind  made  by  Faith, 
Repentance,  Self-denial.  Conversion,  Regeneration,  &c.,  347. — How 
one  comes  to  know  his  flite  is  changed. — DiHeren^e  betwixt  Faith 
and  Experience,  355. — Ill-founded  claims  of  pf^uiiar  relaiion  to  God 
attended  with  the  worst  consequences,  360.— A  ri^markable  Passage 
in  the  Dialogues  considered,  363.— Mr.  Marshall's  Gosjiel  Mystery  of 
Sanctijicatiou,  368.— Recommendation  of  Books,  373.— Source  of 
practical  Errors  in  the  profession  of  Christianity. — Several  practical 
Errors  noted,  374.— Progress  of  the  Popular  Doctrine  in  England, 
with  some  principal  marksof  a  Popular  Preacher,  380. 

Apostolic  Account  of  Charity,  opposed  to  the  modern,  387. — The  hinge 
of  modern  Charity,  illustrated  by  a  remarkable  Passage  quoted  from 
the  Divhie  Legation  of  Moses,  393.— A  view  of  several  Writers,  for 
whom  charitable  esteem  is  expressed  in  the  Meditations  and  Dialogues, 
399.— The  respect  paid  to  Philosophers. — Indignation  at  common 
Beggars,  402.— General  Reflections,  closed  with  a  bold  and  nervous 
Passage  quoted  from  the  Dialogues,  which  all  true  friends  of  the 
Apostolic  gospel  will  heartily  approve  of,  410. 

Appendix,  415. 


PREFACE 


TO  THE    AMERICAN    EDITION, 


Very  few  words  are  needful  to  introduce  the  present  edition  of  the 
following  work.  The  sole  reason  of  its  republication  here,  lies  in  the 
deliberate  conviction  which  the  editor  entertains,  of  its  being  a  far  more 
faithful  exhibition  of  Gospel  truth  than  any  other  work  which  has  ever 
come  to  his  knowledge.  The  name  of  its  author  has  long  been  under 
reproach,  and  will  probably  so  continue  to  be,  while  the  memory  of 
these  letters  shall  endure.  The  reader  will  be  at  no  loss  to  discern  the 
cause  of  this  result.  Should  he  dishke  the  general  scope  of  the  work, 
no  skill  could  avail  probably  to  justify  to  his  estimation  the  severity  of 
censure,  which  Sandeman  saw  fit  to  indulge  towards  the  most  venera- 
ted names  of  his  day.  Should  he,  however,  beheve  and  love  the  truth 
maintained  in  the  work,  he  will  probably  see  little  to  regret  in  it,  on 
this  or  any  other  score.  One  eminent  advantage,  at  least,  which  the 
controversial  character  of  the  work  gives  it,  is,  that  none  of  its  intelli- 
gent readers  can  complain  of  being  kept  in  doubt,  as  to  any  of  the 
author's  sentiments  in  regard  to  the  great  principles  of  Gospel  truth. 
By  tracing  out  what  he  esteems  the  corruptions  of  the  Gospel,  in  the 
hands  of  the  popular  preachers  and  writers,  and  contrasting  with  each 
the  full  light  of  the  unadulterated  truth,  he  has  made  it  very  easy  for 
any  one  to  obtain  a  complete  understanding  of  his  meaning.  The 
editor  is  far  from  sure  that  this  desirable  end, — so  especially  desirable  in 
books  which  concern  the  highest  interests  of  man, — would  have  been  so 
well  accomplished  without  the  peculiar  feature  now  alluded  to.  Had 
Sandeman  been  content  to  set  forth  the  positive  truth,  widiout  at  all 
bringing  into  view  its  negative  aspect,  he  might  possibly  have  failed — 
Kuoh  is  the  listlessness  of  readers  generally — in  attracting  attention  to 
tiiose  distinctive  features  of  the  truth,  in  which  its  pecuhar  adaptedness 
to  man's  actual  condition  appears,  and  in  which,  likewise,  the  plainest 
discoveries  are  made  of  the  real  nature  of  that  enmity  to  God,  under 
w.i-ch  we  all  lie.     Because  the  doctrines  maiulairied  in  die  woik  migh 


VlJl  PKEFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 

peem  to  be  evangelical,  and  many  of  the  writer's  terms  might  corres- 
pond with  those  of  religious  books  generally,  the  majority  of  readers 
would  have  ^Jupposed  it  ju.st  what  they  had  read  and  heard  a  thousand 
times,  and  have  given  just  as  little  heed  to  it  as  they  had  to  all  that  had 
gone  before.     This  idea  is  strengthened  by  the  reception  which  a  work, 
having  a  precisely  similar  end,  but  a  ditVerent  maimer  of  reaching  it, 
has  recently  met  with  from  the  religious  public.     The  work  referred  to 
is  Dr.  Russki.l's  Letters,  lately  republished  in  Philadelphia,  and  fur- 
nished with  an  introduction  by  the  Rev.  iMr.  Boardman.     There  are 
probably  no  tvvo  sentiinents  of  any  moment  at  variance  in  these  two 
works,  and  yet  one  is  highly  lauded  in  mouths,  which  are  unsparing  in 
condeumation  of  the  other.    The  writer  has  heard  it  asserted — by  those 
too  who  would  be  sorry  to  be  accounted  dull  theologians — that  there  is 
tio  perceptible  disagreement  between    he  sentiments  of  Russell,  and 
the  great  mass  of  publications  which  have  issued  from  the  Presbyterian 
Church ;  and  Mr.  Boardman  himself  would  seem,  from  a  passage  in 
his  preface,  to  have  left  it  questionable,  whether  even  he  has  observed 
any  material  ditTerence  between  them  and  the  writings  of  Doddridge 
and  others,  which  are  so  current  in  the  churches.     Dr.  Russelt,  has 
seen  fit  to  withhold  all  express  declar;>tions  of  such  difference,  leaving 
it  to  be  found  out  by  those  whom  it  arrest-^,  and  for  a  time  at  least  has 
therefore  avoided — though  tho  writer  is  far  from  imputing  this  as  a 
motive  to  him — the  reproach  of  such  as  are  hostile  to  it.     The  exT)]ana_ 
tion  of  the  difference  in  the  reception  which  these  two  works, — soiden. 
tical  in  their  great  general  purpose,  andstiain  of  sentiment, — have  met 
with  at  the  hands  of  those  who  may  be  presumed  to  have  seen  their 
accordance,  is  to  be  found  perhaps  in  that  principle  of  our  nature, 
which  leads  us  to  tolerate  every  error,  which  does  not  pointedly  and 
directly  impugn  our  own  favourite  maxims,  and  to  be  intolerant  only 
towards  intolerance.    Dr.  Russell  holds  sentiments  which  are  eschewed 
by  all  the  standard  writers  of  his  church,  and  the  vast  bulk  comparatively 
of  its  communion,  but  has  not  thought  it  his  duty  to  can-y  his  difference 
(fundamental  <'us  he  admits  it  to  be  between  individuals)  to  the  point  of 
separation.      S.4.vuemam  entertaining  the  same  difierence,  sought  in 
another  communion  a  more  cordial  fellowship  in  the  truth,  and  of 
course  stood  condemned  by  all  whom  he  deserted. 

New-York,  July,  1833. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  SECOND   EDITION. 


'Tis  not  unfrequent  for  writers,  in  subsequent  editions,  to 
congratulate  themselves  and  their  readers  on  the  favourable 
reception  of  the  first.  Though  the  writer  of  these  Letters  is 
not  authorized,  on  this  occasion,  to  proceed  altogether  in 
common  stj^e,  yet  he  may  be  allowed  to  express  himself 
very  well  satisfied  with  the  reception  he  has  got.  He  has 
obtained  what  has  been  thought  no  bad  reward  even  for 
poetry,  which,  says  a  renowned  poet. 


If 'tis  truly  good, 


Is  best  rewarded  when  best  understood. 

He  has  had  the  satisfaction  to  find,  that  his  leading  scope 
has  been  as  generally  understood,  as  could  well  be  expected 
of  a  subject  destined  to  be  the  object  of  envy  and  disgust  in 
every  nation ;  yea,  so  generally,  that  even  those  who  have 
thought  fit  to  declare  publicly,  that,  upon  reading  the  whole 
performance,  they  were  not  able  to  collect  a  single  idea  from 
it,  have  at  the  same  time  acknowledged,  that  it  occasioned 
them  no  small  fretfulness  and  disgust ; — an  effect  neither 
uncommon  nor  improper  for  the  gospel  to  have  on  its  oppo- 
nents. Men  are  commonly  much  more  chagrined  at  stubborn 
truth,  than  at  the  nonsense  and  folly  of  their  neighbours. 
For  it  is  an  old  maxim,  that  we  suffer  fools  gladly,  knowing 
ourselves  to  be  wise. 

Genuine  Christianity  must  always  appear  as  an  insult  on 
the  taste  of  the  public,  yea,  the  most  respectable  part  of  the 
public,  and  that  in  the  most  important  matters.  This,  it  is 
evident,  must  be  the  case,  so  long  as  she  bears  for  her  motto. 
That  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  abomination 
in  the  sight  of  God :  and  while,  as  a  proper  counterpart  to 
this,  her  favourite  topic  is,  to  show,  That  the  character  which 
was,  and  still  continues  to  be  disallowed  of  men,  is  chosen  of 
God,  and  precious  in  his  sight.  On  this  account,  her  presence 
every  where  awakens  aversion  and  disgust.  Yet  she  is  a 
tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold  upon  her,  and  happy  is 
every  one  that  retaineth  her.  And  though  her  enemies  will 
always  find  cause  to  despise  her,  yet  she  will  ever  be  justified 
of  all  her  children. 

Being  a  stranger  from  above,  come  to  visit  the  earth  for 

A 


X  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

the  benefit  of  men,  and  having  no  other  errand  than  to  distri- 
bute the  bounty  of  heaven  among  the  indigent,  she  can  have 
no  interest  of  her  own  to  promote  by  the  aid  of  men.  Ac- 
cordingly, she  never  makes  her  court  to  those  who  are  best 
capable  of  introducing  her  into  the  good  graces  of  the  public. 
She  ever  wears  a  benign  aspect  to  the  destitute,  and,  w^ith  her 
richest  smiles,  diffuses  joy  among  her  dependents ;  while  she 
looks  with  an  eye  of  steady  neglect  and  contempt  on  all  who 
pretend  ability  to  bring  her  any  additional  ornament  or  im- 
portance. She  comes  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners 
to  repentance.  She  fills  the  hungry  with  good  things,  and 
sends  the  rich  empty  aw^ay.  Yea,  her  steady  contempt  of 
the  latter  is  highly  serviceable  to  ascertain  and  enhance  her 
kindly  regard  to  the  former. 

Though  she  has  no  reverence  for  the  names  of  greatest 
repute  in  the  world ;  yet  she  aims  not  to  change  or  reverse 
the  order  wherein  the  characters  of  men  are  ranked  in  the 
estimation  of  the  public.  She  never  insinuates,  that  publicans 
and  harlots  have  as  good  a  claim  to  the  public  esteem,  as 
decent  and  devout  Pharisees ;  she  only  declares,  that  the 
former  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  the  latter;  and 
that  there  are  many,  who  are  first  in  this  world,  w^ho  shall 
be  last  in  the  next.  So  that,  though  her  language  and  tem- 
per must  always  be  most  provoking  to  those  of  first  repute, 
as  bearing  hardest  on  their  pretensions  as  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  yet  she  never  disputes  their  claim  to  precedence  in 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  Yea,  the  very  nature  of  her 
opposition  to  them,  rather  serves  in  some  respects  to  support 
that  claim. 

Having  no  political  scheme  to  promote,  she  is  no  murmurer 
at  the  badness  of  the  times,  nor  joins  issue  with  those  who 
urge  the  discontented  inquiry,  "  What  is  the  cause  that  the 
former  times  were  better  than  these?'' — a  sort  of  discontent 
that  points  ultimately  at  those  in  authority.  For  the  same 
reason,  she  interferes  not  with  the  state  of  religious  parties, 
as  having  any  inclination  to  raise  one  to  the  depression  of 
another ;  nor  does  she  spirit  up  any  faction  to  rival  the  es- 
tablished church. 

As  she  proposes  no  benefit  to  bodies  politic,  so  she  claims 
no  distinguished  privilege,  nor  thinks  herself  any  way  enti- 
tled to  particular  favour  or  encouragement  from  those  in 
power.  Yet  as  she  is  far  from  doing  or  intending  any  hurt 
to  such  societies,  she  has  a  right  to  toleration  and  simple 
protection,  in  quality  of  a  harmless  stranger.  If  she  is 
refused  this,  she  rebels  not,  but  suflfers  patiently,  or  retires 
peaceably. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION.  xi 

She  is  a  zealous  assertor  of  liberty,  yet  she  dogmatizes 
with  the  greatest  assurance.  As  she  assumes  no  jurisdiction 
herself  over  those  who  despise  her  instruction,  so  neither  is 
she  desirous  to  draw  upon  them  the  frown  of  those  in  authority. 
Yea,  she  frowns  with  indignation  at  all  who  would  thus  be- 
friend her.  Her  open  declaration  on  this  head  runs  thus, 
"  If  any  man  hear  my  words  and  believe  not,  I  judge  him. 
not :  for  I  came  not  to  judge  the  world,  but  to  save  the  world. 
He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one 
that  judgcth  him  ;  the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same 
shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  Thus  we  see  at  one  view 
how  zealous  she  is  for  liberty,  and  at  the  same  time  how 
positive  and  peremptory  in  dictating. 

As  she  comes  not  to  offer  problems  to  exercise  the  wit  of 
man,  but  to  declare  Divine  truth,  she  boldly,  on  the  part  of 
heaven,  denounces  her  anathema  against  all  who  oppose  or 
corrupt  that  truth.  Had  she  brought  less  strength  of  evidence, 
and  affirmed  with  less  assurance,  she  would  have  been  more 
acceptable  to  the  wise  and  prudent :  but,  then,  at  the  same 
time,  she  would  have  yielded  so  much  the  less  comfort  to  the 
weak,  the  foolish,  and  the  destitute.  For  it  is  well  known, 
that  when  the  heart  of  man  comes  to  sink  under  its  proper 
weakness,  (and  the  stoutest  heart  soon  or  late  grows  weak,) 
nothing  less  can  then  support  it,  than  the  all-commanding 
evidence  and  authority  of  Divine  undeniable  truth.  When 
many  of  her  professed  sons  began  to  think  of  establishing 
their  own  importance  and  pre-eminence,  they  affected  to 
imitate  her  assurance  in  dogmatizing,  and  uttering  anathemas 
in  support  of  tradition,  and  the  decisions  of  human  wisdom. 
And  the  effect  at  last  was,  their  hurting  one  anothers'  bodies; 
a  striking  sign  of  the  spiritual  death  attending  such  apostacy. 
But  now  we  must  consider  them  as  under  foreign  influence, 
even  that  of  the  strange  woman,  against  whom  the  following 
caveat  is  given  :  "  Let  not  thine  heart  decline  to  her  ways, 
go  not  astray  in  her  paths ;  for  she  hath  cast  down  many 
wounded ;  yea,  many  strong  men  have  been  slain  by  her. 
Her  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers 
of  death."  It  would  seem,  then,  to  be  a  thing  peculiar  to 
genuine  Christianity,  to  dogmatize  tenaciously,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  be  an  unreserved  friend  to  liberty  and  humanity. 
And  thus,  at  once,  she  preserves  the  dignity  of  her  character 
both  in  respect  of  heaven  and  earth,  while,  steady  to  Divine 
truth,  she  shows  all  meekness  toward  all  men. 

Ever  condescending  to  the  needy,  she  never  fawns  on  those 
who  look  above  her  ;  never  aims,  by  softening  matters,  to  de- 
precate their  displeasure ;  but  despising  them  herself,    en- 


Xh  FREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

courages  her  children  to  do  the  same,  saying  with  a  determi- 
nate voice,  Let  them  alone,  &c.  As  for  all  those,  who, 
standing  above  the  level  of  her  dependents,  would  yet  claim 
kindred  to  her,  she  addresses  them  only  with  spiritual 
weapons,  mighty  to  pull  doivn.  In  general,  as  she  needs  not 
the  applause  of  multitudes  to  support  her  cause,  she  never 
affects  to  gain  ground  upon  men  in  the  way  of  soothing  any 
of  their  prejudices  by  the  art  of  eloquence.  Yet  her  adver- 
saries, even  by  their  opposition,  are  frequently  subservient  to 
the  progress  of  her  benevolent  design.  Nothing  more  natu- 
rally haunts  the  heart  of  man  than  the  sense  of  blame,  or 
the  conviction  of  guilt :  Yet  to  nothing  does  his  heart  make 
a  more  vigorous  resistance  than  to  such  conviction.  Now, 
she,  in  a  way  peculiar  to  herself,  testifies  of  the  world,  that 
their  works  are  evil,  yea,  in  such  a  manner,  as  stings  even 
the  men  of  best  repute,  in  the  tender  est  part.  Thus  she 
awakens  the  hatred  of  the  world.  And  the  noise  thence 
arising,  often  serves  as  an  echo  to  publish  and  spread  her 
testimony,  till  it  reach  the  ears  of  the  worthless,  to  whom  it 
proves  indeed  to  be  good  tidings  of  great  joy.  It  may  be  ob- 
served here,  that  the  most  cautious  of  her  adversaries,  the  bet- 
ter to  secure  their  own  quiet,  are  commonly  the  most  careful 
to  make  little  noise  with  their  resentment  against  her. 

Moreover,  there  is,  in  human  nature,  a  certain  principle, 
called  in  Latin  odium  iertii,  in  plain  English,  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  our  neighbours  and  rivals  properly  censured,  which 
often  proves  subservient  to  her  friendly  views.  As  her  great 
aim  is,  to  convince  men  of  sin,  and  show  the  necessity  of  the 
Divine  righteousness  she  reports,  men  serve  her  purpose  by 
accusing  and  exposing  one  another.  For,  however  blind  in- 
dividuals may  be  to  their  own  faults,  they  are  commonly 
quick-sighted  enough  to  those  of  others.  The  same  holds 
true  of  different  religious  parties  striving  for  pre-eminence  in 
the  world.  Now,  however  much  such  parties  may  be  agreed 
in  their  opposition  to  the  leading  views  of  that  wisdom  which 
comes  from  above,  yet  they  often  find  her  dictates  useful  to 
expose  the  claims  and  damp  the  confidence  of  each  other.  It 
sometimes  pleases  the  Pharisees,  to  hear  her  put  to  silence  the 
Sadducees ;  and  the  latter  no  less,  to  hear  her  repel  the  high 
pretensions  of  the  former;  though  in  the  main,  neither  party 
is  well  satisfied  with  the  general  strain  of  her  opposition  to 
the  other,  as  finding  but  too  often  occasion  for  the  murmuring 
complaint,  "  Thus  saying  thou  reproachest  us  also."  How- 
ever, while  such  parties  strive  and  jostle,  they  frequently 
prove  the  happy  means  of  awakening  attention  to  her  salu- 
tary instruction,  among  some  detached  and  obscure  indivi- 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION.  xiii 

duals,  little  accounted  of  by  any  party.  So  that  she  is  never 
disconcerted  in  her  grand  design,  let  noisy  parties  behave  as 
they  will. 

Though  she  concurs  not  with  any  of  the  parties  aspiring 
after  the  public  leading  in  religion,  nor  animates  any  of  her 
children  with  such  emulation  ;  yet  she  forms  a  peculiar 
union  among  her  children,  altogether  upon  the  maxims  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  teaching  them  to  love  one  another,  and 
never  to  dream  that  their  cause  can  flourish  and  prevail  till 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  She  animates  them  to  maintain, 
Avith  tenacious  and  inflexible  zeal,  that  heavenly  truth,  which 
ascertains  the  purity  of  the  Divine  character,  in  opposition  to 
all  the  corruption  of  the  world,  even  that  truth  which  is  the 
bond  of  their  union,  and  the  source  of  their  common  joy; 
while  she  teaches  them,  as  to  everything  human  and  selfish, 
or  all  things  within  their  own  disposal,  to  be  flexible,  gracious, 
and  yielding  both  among  themselves  and  toward  all  men. — 
Well  knowing,  that  the  truth  which  unites  them  will  always 
expose  them  to  the  hatred  of  the  world,  she  would  have  them 
cartful  as  much  as  in  them  lies,  not  to  dishonour  their  grand 
controversy,  by  gi^'ing  men  any  other  occasion  to  reproach 
them.  Accordingly,  one  of  her  faithful  sons,  after  describing 
her  opposite,  who  assumes  her  garb,  as  earthly,  sensual,  and 
devilish,  gives  her  true  character  thus  :  The  wisdom  that  is 
from  above,  is  fir  at  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to 
be  entreated,  full  of  mercy,  and  good  fruits,  ivithout  partial- 
ity, and  without  hypocrisy. 

Our  most  serious  writers,  fiom  the  leading  churchman  down 
to  the  lowest  dissenter,  are  commonly  very  earnest  in  point- 
ing out  the  properest  means  to  make  Christianity  flourish 
AND  PREVAIL,  sincercly  regretting,  at  the  same  time,  the 
unhappy  obstacles  that  retard  an  event  which  appears  to  them, 
in  so  many  respects  truly  grand  and  desirable.  The  two 
shining  expressions  in  the  last  period  the  rather  deserve  a 
mark  of  distinction,  as  they  make  a  part  of  the  long  esta- 
blished and  most  universally  approved  style  in  religious  wri- 
tings. For,  however  much  Christian  writers  differ  among 
themselves,  they  are  generally  agreed  in  being  disposed,  each 
in  his  way,  to  contribute  their  utmost,  that  Christianity  may 
flourish  and  prevail.  The  reason  is  obvious.  Multitudes 
not  much  concerned  to  know  what  Christianity  is,  are  easily 
intoxicated  with  the  fond  notion  of  a  flourishing  and  prevail- 
ing cause.  What  flourishes  and  prevails  in  the  earth,  will 
always  draw  the  admiration  of  the  world,  even  as  its  preva- 
lence must  be  owing  to  its  coincidence  with  the  taste  of  the 
world.     The  Jews  who  had  no  taste  for  the  appearance  of 


XIV  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth,  were  yet  strongly  possessed  with  the  fond 
prospect  of  a  flourishing  and  prevailing  Messiah.  And  we 
should  wrong  them  much,  if  we  did  not  suppose  them  equally 
capable  as  our  moderns,  of  embellishing  that  prospect  with 
all  the  grand  ideas  of  judgment  running  down  as  a  stream, 
righteousness  and  piety  overspreading  the  earth,  &c. — On 
this  head,  it  may  suffice  to  add,  that  Jesus  perceiving  one  of 
his  most  zealous  disciples  tainted  with  the  leading  sentiment 
of  his  countrymen,  severely  rebuked  him,  as  influenced  by 
Satan  in  that  sentiment,  as  an  offence  to  him,  and  as  savouring, 
not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men. 

It  has  already  been  noticed,  that  the  scope  of  these  letters 
has  been  pretty  generally  understood.  The  writer  has  like- 
wise had  access  to  observe  his  reflections,  on  the  aspect  the 
religious  world  bears  to  the  apostolic  gospel,  notably  con- 
firmed. In  both  these  respects,  the  general  conduct  and  lan- 
guage of  his  readers  serve  greatly  to  keep  him  in  countenance. 
While  he  perceives  his  notion  of  the  apostolic  gospel  opposed 
by  the  same  temper  and  dispositions,  that  opposed  that  gospel 
when  first  preached,  he  finds,  at  one  view,  both  that  his  de- 
sign is  understood,  and  that  his  reflections  are  verified.  And 
thus  he  is  furnished  with  fresh  evidence,  serving  to  confirm 
in  the  persuasion,  that  his  notion  of  the  gospel  is  a  just  and 
true  one. 

The  remarks  of  his  readers  generally  concur  in  this,  that 
his  scheme  will  never  take.  Thus  it  appears,  they  understand 
as  much  about  it,  as  to  perceive  wherein  it  differs  from  every 
scheme  fitted  to  flourish  and  prevail  in  the  world.  And  to 
understand  that  such  a  scheme  will  never  take,  is,  with  the 
bulk  of  the  people,  found  a  sufficient  reason  to  reject  it,  either 
as  false  or  foolish.  To  this  way  of  thinking  they  are  accus- 
tomed, by  having  frequent  occasion  to  perceive  the  manifest 
absurdity  of  adopting  any  political  scheme,  which  yields  no 
prospect  of  its  ever  succeeding  or  prevailing.  Besides,  as  to 
religion,  we  may  easily  perceive  numbers  of  people,  having 
no  great  taste  for  it  at  present,  who  yet  show  a  readiness  to 
disclose  their  zeal  for  it,  so  soon  as  it  shall  be  in  a  more  flour- 
ishing condition  ;  that  is,  so  soon  as  the  reasons  of  their 
present  coolness  are  removed,  and  the  endearing  motives  in 
prospect  have  begun  to  exert  their  influence.  To  this  obser- 
vable disposition  in  mankind,  we  may,  in  a  great  measure, 
attribute  the  success  which  many  preachers  have  had  in 
awakening  an  occasional  fondness  for  religion  among  the 
inhabitants  of  whole  regions,  while  they  have  been  exerting 
their  eloquence  to  give  tliem  a  preljbation  of  happier  times. 

'i'o  the  same  purpose  with  what  is  above  noted,  it  has  been 


PREFACE  TO  THE   SECOND   EDITION.  XV 

observed,  that  the  strain  of  writing  in  these  letters  can  never 
serve  to  promote  the  interest  of  religion.  This  observation 
likewise  deserves  the  attention  of  the  reader:  and  it  readily 
calls  to  mind  the  reason  why  the  Jews  were  so  averse  to  the 
claim  of  Jesus  to  be  the  Messiah.  The  whole  tenor  of  his 
language,  temper,  and  conduct,  appeared  to  them  so  much 
the  reverse  of  being  fit  to  promote  the  interest  of  religion, 
that,  for  the  sake  of  that  very  interest,  they  conspired  against 
him  ;  as  they  did  afterward,  on  the  same  account,  against  his 
apostles.  Nor  did  the  Christian  cause  begin  to  flourish  and 
prevail  in  the  world  till  the  Christian  leaders  began  to  be 
more  concerned  about  the  interest  of  religion,  than  about  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  in  its  native  simplicity :  yea,  in  our  own 
country,  matters  have  proceeded  so  far,  that  many  zealous 
Protestants,  moved  with  the  deepest  concern  for  the  interest 
of  religion,  have  bound  themselves  by  oath,  to  extirpate  such 
as  maintained  the  heavenly  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and 
the  ancient  Christian  order. — But  more  particularly. 

The  writer  has  had  the  satisfaction  to  find,  that  he  has  been 
pretty  generally  understood  on  the  d  ctrine  of  fiiith.  The 
ferment  of  the  religious  keeps  him  in  countenance  here. — 
Here  is  a  book,  says  one,  writ  to  decry  all  practical  godliness ; 
another,  he  gives  a  very  lame  account  of  faith;  a  thiid,  he 
makes  nothing  at  all  of  faith,  he  makes  it  a  mere  non-entity  ; 
a  fourth,  the  faith  of  devils  !  Hence  it  appears,  that  the  wri- 
ter's doctrine  has  been  as  well  underst()od  as  the  gospel  cm 
well  be  supposed  to  be  by  those  who  dislike  it.  As  his  obvi- 
ous and  often  declared  aim,  was,  to  transfer  the  whole  stress 
commonly  laid  on  faith  and  its  actings,  in  the  matter  of  jus- 
tification, to  the  simple  truth  known  or  believed,  even  that 
same  truth  which  is  the  object  of  envy,  and  source  of  torment 
to  devils  ;  how  could  his  opponents,  or  those  who  impugn  the 
all-sufficiency  of  the  bare  truth,  to  justify  and  give  pence  of 
conscience,  more  clearly  have  shown  their  apprehension  of 
his  meaning?  As  for  those  who  incline  to  wink  hard,  lest 
they  should  see  too  much,  and,  for  want  of  a  better  way  of 
showing  their  dislike,  still  affect  to  sajr,  they  do  not  under.stand 
him,  'tis  presumed  they  might  learn  to  express  their  meaning 
more  properly,  from  the  vulgar  stoiy  of  the  (Quaker's  reply 
to  his  creditor,  who,  meeting  him  at  unawares,  complained 
he  could  not  find  him  at  home,  when  he  formerly  came  in 
quest  of  him.  'I'he  reply  was,  "  I  did  see  thee,  but  I  did  not 
love  thee."  However,  allowing  them  to  use  their  own  style, 
we  are  commonly  at  no  great  loss  to  guess  his  meaning,  who 
has  no  other  reply  to  give  his  neighbour,  urging  upon  him 
a  mortifying  truth,  than,  "Sir,  1  don't  understand  you." 


XVI  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

A  cry  has  been  raised  against  these  letters,  as  if  they  meant 
to  determine  the  future  state  of  some  persons  whose  doctrine 
is  censured  in  them.  Though  the  writer  is  sensible,  that 
none  but  the  more  weak  and  foolish  can  seriously  hearken  to 
such  a  cry  ;  yet  he  is  likewise  sensible  that  the  wise,  for  their 
own  ends,  often  indulge  and  encourage  the  foolish,  in  believ- 
ing what  they  themselves  see  no  foundation  for  :  therefore,  as 
he  is  persuaded,  that  the  latter  have  as  much  concern  with  the 
gospel  as  the  former,  he  thinks  it  proper  to  inform  them,  that 
when  once  men  have  wrote  books,  so  acquired  an  existence 
as  authors,  they  never  die  in  that  capacity,  till  their  books  are 
forgot,  or  have  lost  all  influence;  consequently,  till  that  hap- 
pen, they  lie  equally  exposed  to  every  one's  censure  or 
applause,  as  public  edifices,  statues,  or  pictures. — The  zealous 
cry  in  favour  of  the  dead,  in  this  case,  is  well  known,  by  all 
people  of  middling  reflection,  to  have  no  force,  no  pertinent 
meaning  in  it,  farther  than  as  it  resents  an  insult  shown  to  the 
reigning  taste  of  the  living.  All  such  likewise  know,  that  the 
names  of  authors  and  public  speakers,  dead  or  living,  are,  on 
all  hands,  conveniently  used,  as  the  readiest  index  to  various 
points  of  doctrine,  and  particular  branches  of  the  public  taste, 
when  there  is  not  the  remotest  intention  to  determine  about  any 
man's  future  state. — Yea,  the  writer  is  so  fir  from  having  any 
occasion  to  stand  upon  the  defensive  here,  that  he  has  in  readi- 
ness enough,  and  more  than  enough,  to  put  all  his  opponents 
to  the  blush,  if  they  are  capable  of  it.  He  has  warmly 
opposed,  with  arguments  hitherto  unanswered,  all  those  emi- 
nent preachers,  who  grudge  mercy  to  the  greatest  sinners,  even 
at  the  last  hour  :  and  though  he  has  reason  to  conclude  ene- 
mies to  mercy  to  be  none  of  the  least  sinners;  yet  he  has  no 
where  grudged,  but,  on  the  contrary,  expressly  maintained  the 
freedom  of  mercy,  even  to  them  at  the  close  of  life.  The  open 
state  of  the  fact,  then,  supports  him  in  affirming,  that  he  has 
shown  a  more  benevolent  temper  to  such  preachers,  than  they 
to  their  fellow  creatures.  But  what  avails  it  to  the  reader, 
what  sort  of  men  are  either  they  or  the  writer  ?  The  great 
question  that  concerns  the  reader  is,  what  is  Divine  truth  ?  If 
he  has  found  that,  he  may  boldly  say,  "  Let  God  be  true,  and 
every  man  a  liar." — But  to  proceed: 

If  the  writer,  when  he  composed  his  letters,  needed  any 
farther  evidence  to  support  the  vehemence  of  his  style  against 
the  teachers  and  people  most  e.vposed  to  his  censure,  he  has 
got  it  abundantly  now.  The  main  force  of  his  censure  turned 
upon  this,  that  he  considered  them  as  enemies  to  his  notion  of 
the  gospel,  or  of  what  saves  men :  and  now,  since  his  book 
was  published,  he  has  got  manifold  recent  proofs  of  their 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SEDOND    EDITION.  XVU 

enmity  to  that  notion  ;  an'l  what  is  romarkablo  in  tliis  case 
is,  that  those  same  people  who  avowedly  oppose  that  notion, 
complam  loudly,  as  if  their  favourite  authors  were  highly 
injured,  by  being  charged  as  opposers  of  that  same  notion. 
Thus  their  opposition  to  the  doctrine  maintained  in  the  letters, 
while  it  operates  in  such  indirect  M^ays,  bears  the  manifest 
badge  of  opposition  to  truth.  Now,  though  some  diligent 
observer  should  be  able  to  make  it  appear,  that  the  writer  has 
mistaken  any  one  or  all  of  their  favourite  authors,  in  suppo- 
sing their  notion  of  the  gospel,  or  of  faith,  difiered  from  his ; 
yet  still  it  remains  clear  as  sunshine,  that  such  people  act  an 
absurd  part,  in  calling  it  injurious  to  censure  such  authors,  yea, 
to  censure  them  severely,  if  it  be  true,  that  there  is  but  ojie 
faith  that  saves  men.  Yea,  farther,  though  the  w^riter  himself 
should,  upon  more  careful  inquiry,  find  that  those  authors 
agree  Avith  his  own  notion  of  faith,  still  he  would  have  reason 
to  reject  them  as  the  favourite  authors  of  such  people;  or,  in 
other  words,  he  would  have  reason  to  reject  them  in  the  sense 
wherein  they  are  at  bottom  understood  and  admired  by  such 
people. — The  writer  professes  to  agree  with  the  apostles,  so 
do  these  people,  so  also  do  Roman  Catholics  and  Scotch  Cove- 
nanters; but  when  they  and  he  come  to  explain  themselves, 
they  differ  about  the  sense  of  almost  every  notable  expression 
in  the  apostolic  writings :  yea,  the  apostles  themselves  are 
considered  by  some  people  as  so  many  popes  or  cardinals, 
or  rather  as  so  many  deities  •  and  by  others  as  so  many  politi- 
cal projectors  of  plans  for  national  churches,  and  the  dominion 
of  the  clergy;  while  the  writer  considers  them  only  as  so 
many  self-denied  witnesses  for  a  truth,  which  neither  flatters 
the  pride  of  any  man,  nor  yet  yields  any  prospect  of  its  ever 
prevailing  in  the  world. — The  like  turn  of  reflection  may 
easily  be  extended  to  the  difTeient  notions  men  have  of  the 
character  of  the  Messiah. 

Remarkable  has  been  the  zeal  for  piety  and  holiness  which 
the  doctrine  exhibited  in  these  letters  has  awakened  in  the 
minds  of  the  religious.  The  doctrine  of  unlimited  mercy, 
scorning  all  the  boasted  distinctions  among  men,  seldom  or 
never  fails  to  move  the  spleen  of  those  who  plume  themselves 
most  on  their  devout  character,  and  have  the  words  piety, 
holiness^  and  the  like,  most  familiar  in  their  mouths.  The 
zeal  of  the  most  forward  of  this  class,  however  much  restrain- 
ed in  this  land  of  liberty,  does  yet  sufficiently  show  itself  to 
be  of  the  same  nature  with  the  vaunted  holiness  of  those  who 
said,  "  For  a  good  work  we  stone  thee  not,''  but — for  what  ? 
in  one  word,  for  impiety. 

The  waiter  has  of  late  got   many  recent  proofs,  clearly 


XVIU  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND   EDITION. 

showing,  how  much  our  modern  Pharisees  reverence  their 
renowned  rabbies  above  the  Scriptures.  He  has  got  abun- 
dant reason  to  conclude,  that  they  would  easily  have  in- 
dulged him  in  using  great  freedom  with  the  gospel,  had  he 
only  shown  greater  deference  to  the  revered  names  of  the 
demigods  of  his  country.  Moreover,  by  the  general  stupid 
surprise  which  they  have  openly  avowed  at  the  notion  of  a 
devout  path  to  hell,  they  have  shown  themselves  no  less  inat- 
tentive to  the  New  Testament,  than  their  ancestors  were  to 
the  Old,  who  had  the  assurance  to  say,  Search,  and  look,  for 
out  of  Galilee  ariselh  no  prophet ;  though  their  own  Scrip- 
tures showed  not  only  that  the  great  light  was  to  shine  in 
Galilee,  but  also  that  the  first  prophet  who  preached  repent- 
ance to  the  Gentiles,  (even  Jonah,  whom  Christ  referred  to 
as  his  corresponding  sign,)  was  a  Galilean,  As  to  the  notion 
of  a  devout  path  to  hell,  the  passages  ascertaining  and  de- 
scribing such  a  notion  are  too  numerous  to  be  quoted  here. 
But  if  any  of  our  modern  Pharisees  should  think  the  inquiry 
worth  their  while  they  may  consult  a  concordance,  at  the 
word  Hell.  He  who  has  not  a  concordance,  may  read  the 
23d  chapter  of  Matthew's  gospel. 

The  writer  has  no  reason  to  be  chagrined  at  his  readers. 
He  is  sensible,  he  is  by  far  too  small  an  object  for  the  resent- 
ment they  have  shown.  That  which  provokes  them  is  well 
able  to  bear  all  the  weight  of  their  resentment.  The  cause 
is  far  from  being  his.  He  was  never  worthy  to  stand  among 
the  meanest  retainers  to  it ;  nor  would  it  sufler  any  loss  by  the 
want  of  him;  he  only  would  be  the  loser. — He  is  likewise 
sensible,  it  would  be  very  foolish  in  him,  to  attempt,  by  any 
reconciling  methods,  to  soothe  or  allay  that  resentment ; 
being  persuaded,  that  the  voice  of  him,  who,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  ranging  mankind  into  two  classes,  said,  I 
WILL  PUT  ENMITY,  &c.,  wiU  as  Certainly  have  its  constant 
effect  to  the  end  of  it,  as  the  word  which  at  first  separated  the 
waters  from  the  dry  land. — And  though  the  cause  of  the 
disallowed  Messiah*  will  never  prevail  in  this  mortal  state, 

*  It  may  not  he  improper  here  to  take  .some  notice  of  a  memorable 
.•saying  used  by  Christ  for  the  instruction  of  his  disciples,  when  they  were 
anxious  about  how  and  where  his  kingdom  was  to  appear,  and  after  he 
had  given  them  various  cautions  against  imposition  on  that  head.  The 
saying  runs  thus,  "  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  there  will  tlie  eagles  be 
gathered  together."  Nothing  could  be  more  fitly  chosen,  than  this  simili- 
tude, to  show  his  disciples,  how  he  would  always  be  disaUoiced  of  men, 
yet  precious  to  them  that  believe.  What  more  nauseous  to  men,  and  what 
more  inviting  to  eagles,  than  an  expo.sed  carcass?  the  latter  are  led,  by 
the  rich  .savour  of  the  most  delicious  food,  to  resort  with  pleasure  to  that 
wherein  tlxe  former  can  perceive  nothing  but  what  is  dispiriting  and 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION.  XIX 

but  remain  as  a  bruised  reed,  and  smoking  flax:  yet  all  its 
numerous  and  powerful  enemies  shall  never  be  able  utterly 
to  break  or  extinguish  it.  In  the  midst  of  weakness,  poverty, 
and  disgrace,  it  will  continue  to  be  supported  by  the  sacred 
aid  of  heaven,  till  the  grand  revolution  shall  take  place,  when 
the  bruised  reed  shall  become  an  iron  rod,  and  the  smoking 
flax  a  flaming  fire.  Then  the  cause,  hitherto  just  not  crushed, 
shall  flourish  and  prevail  effectually,  and  all  its  enemies  be 
confounded  with  everlasting  shame  and  contempt. 

As  the  writer  never  had  the  honour  to  be  a  reverend  gen- 
tleman, he  has  no  title  to  urge  on  his  neighbours  his  notion  of 
the  gospel,  under  pretence  of  his  being  vested  with  any  com- 
mission, or  bearing  any  message  from  heaven. — As  he  never 
had  any  pretensions  to  priesthood,  it  would  be  absurd  in' him  to 
move  them,  by  declaring  how  much  he  would  offer,  suffer, 
or  intercede  for  their  benefit. — As  he  stands  perfectly  on  a 
level  with  them  all  as  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  he  has  no 
title  to  dictate  to  them,  or  assume  any  airs  of  authority  over 
them ;  nor  does  it  become  him  to  quarrel  with  them  for  neglect- 
ing his  creed :  yea,  he  is  well  satisfied,  that  they  run  no  risk 
by  despising  any  thing  that  comes  from  him,  provided  they 
reverence  their  Maker  to  whom  alone  they  are  accountable. 
On  the  other  hand,  they  cannot  reasonably  grudge  him  the 
liberty  of  expressing  himself  with  the  utmost  confidence  in 
behalf  of  his  own  creed. — Again,  as  he  is  persuaded,  'tis  not 
his  business  to  consult  the  interest  of  religion,  otherwise  than 
by  maintaining  the  truth  of  the  gospel  against  all  who  corrupt 
it,  and  committing  the  success  wholly  to  heaven,  he  has  no 
reason  to  be  greatly  disconcerted  at  any  opposition  to  his  notion 
of  that  truth:  all  his  readers,  then,  are  very  welcome  for  him 

disgusting.  Wherever  Christ's  disciples,  united  only  by  his  word, 
meet  together  to  remember  his  death,  as  their  only  recommendation  to 
the  Divine  favour,  there  the  power  of  his  kingdom  is  manifest  to  them 
that  beheve  ;  and  wherever  he  shall  at  last  descend  from  heaven,  there 
all  his  redeemed  will  be  gathered  together,  and  there  the  majesty  and 
power  of  his  kingdom  will  be  visible  to  all.  Let  the  sacrifice  of  Chri.st 
be  divested  of  all  the  foreign  considerations  that  have  been  added,  in 
order  to  remove  the  disgust  of  men,  and  it  will  be  found,  that  to  talk  of 
living  by  that  alone,  will  prove  as  disagreeable  to  the  religious  world 
now  as  of  old,  and  to  provoke  even  many  of  the  most  serious  to  turn 
away,  with  something  like  the  old  complaint  in  their  mouth,  This  is  an 
hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it !  Yea,  we  are  assured,  that,  with  tliis  same 
complaint  in  their  mouth,  many  of  those  expres.-ly  called  his  disciples, 
went  back,  and,  what  is  still  more  striking,  walked  no  more  vvith  him. 
The  forementioned  memorable  saying,  likewise  sets  before  us,  in  a  very 
Btriking  view,  what  a  sovereign  contempt  Christ  had  for  the  applause  of 
the  world,  and  how  careful  he  was  to  inspire  his  disciples  with  the  same 
contempt,  even  while  showing  liis  concern  for  their  welfare  in  tlie 
tenderest  manner. 


XX  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

to  take  their  own  choice,  and  treat  it  as  they  shall  find  occa- 
sion. Those  who  incline  to  reject  it  have  this  to  encourage 
them,  that  the  great  majority  of  those  who  have  the  first  repute 
either  for  orthodoxy,  godliness,  or  good  sense,  will  always  be 
ready  to  keep  them  in  countenance  in  so  doing.  And  as  for 
the  cause  to  which  the  writer  professes  himself  a  retainer  ;  he 
can  assure  them  that  it  is  already  as  advantageously  situate  in 
the  world  as  becomes  it,  so  stands  in  no  need  of  any  of  them. 

Yet  if  one  heartily  approves  his  avowed  notion,  he  must  be 
desirous  to  see  others  persuaded  the  same  way  with  himself; 
and  this  desire  will  naturally  lead  him,  as  occasion  offers,  to 
lay  open  the  ground  and  reason  of  his  persuasion.  This  the 
writer  has  done.  Yet  he  is  sensible  it  is  impossible  to  satisfy 
many,  who,  in  the  face  of  the  clearest  evidence,  will  always 
resume  the  old  complaint.  How  long  dost  thoiv  make  us  to 
doubt  ? — tell  us  jjlainly.  He  is  likewise  sensible,  it  belongs 
only  to  God  so  to  mould  and  dispose  the  minds  of  men,  as  to 
make  them  see  things  in  their  proper  point  of  light,  and 
accordingly  understand  them  as  they  really  are. — The 
approach  of  death  commonly  proves  an  effectual  mean  to 
rouse  the  attention  of  men  to  their  real  condition. — A  gospel 
suited  to  the  taste  of  the  public,  is  apparently  most^advantage- 
ous  in  every  stage  of  a  man's  life  but  the  last — Then,  nothing 
but  the  disallowed  gospel  can  support  his  heart. — This  would 
readily  appear,  if  we  could  collect  the  suffrages  of  the  dying. 
— All  who  admit  the  disallowed  gospel,  find  the  last  stage  of 
life  in  some  sort  made  present  to  them ;  so  they  find  them- 
selves under  a  necessity  of  admitting  it  as  the  only  shield  from 
despair.  The  great  use  of  the  gospel  is,  to  serve  as  the  cure 
of  death,  and  the  fear  that  precedes  it — Those  who  have  not 
been  much  pressed  with  the  fear  of  death  and  its  consequences, 
can  see  very  little  in  the  gospel  worthy  of  their  attention, 
however  much  they  may  flourish,  and  make  fine  speeches 
about  it. 

This  preface  may  properly  enough  be  concluded  with  a 
summary  view  of  the  scope  of  the  letters,  in  the  words  of  a 
motto,  somewhere  observed  in  a  church, 

Errantia  luminafallunt, 

Cruce  certa  salus. 

Which  may  be  Englished  thus, 

"  Fach  wand'ring  light bewilder'd  men  betrays; 
The  cross  alone  salvation  sure  displays." 

March,  1759. 

^*^  What  farther  the  writer  has  to  say  on  occaBion  of  this  edition, 
may  be  seen  in  the  Appendix. 


LETTERS 


ON 


TFIERON  AND  ASPASIO 


LETTER  I. 

De\r  Ssr, 

The  uncGmmon,  and,  therefore,  tke  more  amiable  zeal 
shown  for  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity,  in  your  two 
volumes  of  Meditations,  <SfC.  and  in  your  sermon,  entitled, 
The  cross  of  Christ  the  Chrisiiaii^s  glory,  afforded  no  small 
satisfaction  to  such  as  professed  a  hearty  attachment  to  those 
doctrines,  and  filled  them  with  the  warmest  prepossession  in 
favour  of  any  thing  that  should  drop  from  your  pen.  It 
gave  them  pleasure  to  see  the  grand  article  of  the  Christian 
religion,  which,  you  now  well  say,  "seems  to  be  little  un- 
derstood, and  less  regarded,  if  not  much  mistaken,  arid  almost 
forgotten,"  so  warmly,  and  with  such  a  winning  address, 
maintained,  in  a  book,  which  on  account  of  its  various  orna- 
ments, readily  insinuated  itself  into  the  hands  of  many  who 
seldom  think  the  more  important  truly  worthy  of  their  atten- 
tion. 

It  behooved  to  please  all  who  worship,  as  their  God  and 
Saviour,  him  who  wrought  that  righteousness,  to  see  3'ou, 
in  all  your  excursions  through  nature,  making  every  thiiig 
that  is  beautiful,  every  thing  that  is  grand  in  the  creation,  to 
serve  ns  foils  to  the  glory  of  his  divine  person,  and  to  the 
importance  of  that  service  he  has  done  for  men.  How  dif- 
ferent is  your  strain  of  reasoning  here,  from  that  of  most  of 
our  religious  philosophers  ?  While  they  awaken  our  admi- 
ration at  the  number,  magnitudes,  and  distances  of  the  stars, 
and  call  up  our  attention  to  the  wise  and  beneficial  order  of 
the  universe,  they  employ  all  their  eloquence  to  persuade  us, 
that  the  grandest  view  of  the  divine  Majesty,  that  the  brightest 
display  of  his  perfection,  is  to  be  found  there.  They  would 
1 


it  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  I, 

regulate  our  devotion,  and  animate  our  hopes,  according  to 
the  character  of  him  which  they  are  pleased  to  read  us  from 
ihence.  And  all  this,  with  a  supercilious  neglect  of,  and,  as 
it  were,  in  a  contemptuous  contrast  to  that  discovery  of  the 
divine  perfections  which  was  shown  to  men  when  God  was 
made  manifest  in  the  flesh. 

Though  these  gentlemen  will  look  down  upon  you  with 
an  air  of  scornful  pity  on  this  account ;  yet  you  are  suffi- 
ciently kept  in  countenance,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  that 
order  of  intelligent  beings,  in  comparison  of  whom  the 
greatest  philosophers  must  be  considered  as  children  and 
lools.  The  angels,  those  attendants  on  the  throne  of  the 
Most  High,  who  were  witnesses  to  the  bringing  of  the  crea- 
tion into  order ;  who  saw  his  glory  through  the  whole,  and 
shouted  for  joy  when  it  received  the  finishing  touch  ;  who, 
when  the  Saviour  appeared,  had  the  experience  of  several 
thousand  years  ;  and  who  had  always  been  employed  in  mes- 
sages about  the  concerns  of  men ;  they,  surely,  must  be  al- 
k)wed  to  have  the  most  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  works 
of  God,  and  the  quickest  discernment  of  his  glory  therein : 
yet,  in  their  song  of  praise,  upon  the  appearance  of  him  who 
was  born  to  die  for  men,  while  they  point  to  him  as  yet  a  babe 
lying  in  a  manger,  they  plainly  signify,  that  they  now  beheld 
more  of  the  glory  of  God,  than  they  had  hitherto  seen  in  all 
his  works  beside.  Upon  good  authority,  then,  may  you  con- 
sider the  greatest  distances  as  contracting  into  a  span,  and  the 
greatest  magnitudes  as  shrinking  into  atoms,  in  comparison 
of  the  condescension  that  appears  here.  Though  your  sen- 
timents here  may  seem  to  si7ik  in  the  eyes  of  a  few  below ; 
yet  they  receive  the  stamp  of  the  true  sublime,  yea,  I  dare 
venture  to  say,  of  the  only  sublime  in  the  eyes  of  the  innu- 
merable company  above. 

But  it  is  not  my  purpose,  to  point  out  the  many  beautiful 
passages,  and  instances  of  the  true  sublime,  that  are  to  be 
found  throughout  your  Meditations.  I  have  said  enough  to 
show,  with  what  a  favourable  bias  I  entered  upon  the  reading 
of  Theron  and  Aspasio.  And  I  had  no  sooner  opened  the 
book,  than  my  appetite  was  whetted,  by  hearing,  that  the 
GRAND  ARTICLE  of  THE  IMPUTED  RIGHTE- 
OUSNESS was  to  make  the  principal  figure.  And  here  I 
cannot  forbear  noticing,  how  pertinently  you  adduce  the  sense 
of  a  passage  from  Witfius,*  with  great  propriety  setting  forth 

*  The  passage  referred  to  in  Witfius,  may  not  improperly  be  consider- 
ed as  a  paraphrase  or  illustration  of  the  designation  which  Luther,  in  his 
spirited  manner,  gave  to  that  same  doctrine,  when  he  called  it,  Articulus 
stantis  aut  cadentis  ecciesia. 


LET.   L]  THERON  and  ASPASIO.  S 

the  strong  influence  that  the  doctrine  of  justification,  accord- 
ing as  it  is  well  or  ill  stated,  has  upon  the  whole  structure 
of  the  Christian  religion.  You  will  not,  then,  think  it  strange, 
if,  while  I  read  forward,  my  attention  was  chiefly  awake  to 
observe,  if  this  doctrine  was  justly  stated,  according  to  its 
primitive  simplicity,  in  opposition  to  the  various  ways, 
wherein  it  has  been  artfully  corrupted,  and  accommodated 
to  the  pride  and  lusts  of  m-en.  And  I  may  add,  that  such 
was  my  confidence  in  you,  that  I  was  disposed  to  allow  you 
as  ample  freedom  in  writing,  as  the  Roman  dictator  had  in 
commanding,  with  this  sole  provision,  that  the  grand  article 
should  suffer  no  detriment.  Considering  the  excellency  of 
this  article,  and  that  the  least  foreign  mixture,  like  the  dead 
fly  in  the  precious  ointment,  deprives  us  of  its  genuine  favour 
and  benefit,  we  cannot  be  too  cautious  of  its  purity.  The 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  writing  to  those  of  whom  he  had 
borne  record,  that  the  testimony  of  Christ  was  confirmed  in 
them ;  to  those  whom  he  had  espoused  to  one  husband, 
that  he  might  present  them  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ ;  yet 
addresses   them  in  this   manner.      /  am  jealous  over  you 

tcith  the  jealousy  of  God.. 1  fear  lest  by  any  means,  as  the 

serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtiliy,  so  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ* 
And  I  am  apt  to  think,  that,  had  you  considered,  with  a  more 
jealous  eye,  the  writings  of  some  popular  preachers  which 
you  have  read,  the  occasion  of  my  present  address  to  you 
might  have  been  prevented.  For  I  am  willing  to  believe, 
that  you  have  got  your  first  taste  of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of 
Christianity  from  higher  and  purer  sources  than  these. 

But  not  to  detain  you,  so  much  were  my  fondest  hopes 
gratified,  in  reading  many  of  the  dialogues,  by  finding  the 
grand  article  so  clearly  and  warmly  supported,  that,  though  I 
met  with  scattered  hints  that  somewhat  alarmed  my  jealousy, 
yet,  like  one  averse  to  believe  what  gives  him  pain,  I  was 
willing  to  overlook  these,  and  to  presume,  that  they  did 
not  enter  into  your  leading  design,  till  the  sixteenth  dialogue 
completed  my  disappointment.  Then  I  Avas  obliged  to  say, 
Alas !  how  is  the  fine  gold  become  dim !  Has  our  favourite 
author  then  at  last  so  far  lost  sight  of  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness, as  to  mix  another  with  it !  Has  he  so  embarrassed,  or 
rather  shut  up  our  access  to  the  divine  righteousness,  as  to 

*  «T,\orr/TOf  rm  cis  rov  XpjTor,  shighness  towards  Christ.  These  words, 
as  they  stand  in  connection,  nuist,  I  think,  denote  that  simphcity,  or  .sin- 
gleness of  affection  towards  the  one  hnsband,  which  is  inconsistent  with 
e\eiy  the  least  uncliaste  desire  toward  any  other. 


4  LETTERS  OX  [LET.   I, 

hold  forth  a  preliminary  human  one,  as  some  way  expedient, 
or  rather  necessurVr  to  our  enjoying  the  comfort  and  benefit 
of  it! 

Dear  Sir.,  Having  thus  far  opened  my  heart  to  yon,  it  is 
necessary  that  1  should  now  set  before  you  the  passages  that 
compelled  mo,  with  regret,  to  speak  as  L  have  just  now  done. 
But  before  1  proceed,  I  would  first  beg  leave  to  consider  you, 
rather  as  the  author  ot  that  first-rate  sermon  I  mentioned 
shove,  than  as  a  speaker  in  these  dialogues,  and  to  address 
you  accordingly,  while  I  lay  before  you  my  complaint 
against  Aspasio.  This  liberty  1  beg  on  two  accounts  ;  first, 
for  my  ease  in  quoting  from  dialogues ;  and  then  for  my 
pleasure  in  writing,  that  I  may,  as  much  as  possible  shun 
the  disagreeable  office  of  using  the  style  of  an  opponent  di- 
rectly, to  one  who  has  afforded  me  much  pleasure,  and  never 
intended  me  any  provocation. 

Then  let  me  add,  that  as  1  have  the  pleasure  of  agi'eeing 
with  you  in  your  just  disregard  of  those  terms,  hatched  in  the 
schools,  on  pretence  indeed  of  methodizing,  but  which  have, 
in  effect,  served  to  obscure  and  confound  the  plain  truths 
hi  the  gospel ;  so  do  I  likewise  judge,  that  it  would  be  very 
impertinent  to  abuse  your  patience,  by  animadverting  upoa 
words  or  forms  of  expression,  where  things  of  moment  are 
not  at  stake.  So  that,  however  short  I  make  my  quotations, 
to  avoid  being  tedious,  my  only  aim  is,  to  point  at  what  I 
take  to  be  the  real  meaning  and  tendency  of  the  places  from 
whence  they  are  draAvn. 

Lastly,  let  it  all  along  be  remembered,  that  no  man  pro- 
fessing the  Christian  truth,  can  hold  any  error  about  that 
truth,  without,  at  the  same  time,  holding  some  double  meaning 
of  the  words  wherein  that  truth  is  delivered,  whether  he 
himself  be  aware  of  it  or  not. 

In  the  small  first  edition,  vol.  3,  p.  2.78.  Theron,  re- 
peating a  definition  of  faith  formerly  given  by  Aspasio,  says, 
"  Faith,  you  say,  is  a  real  persuasion,  that  the  blessed  Jesus 
has  shed  his  blood  for  me,  fulfilled,  all  righteousness  in  m^ 
steady  <fec.  Again,  in  ;;.  286,  Aspasio  says,  " — I  would 
only  maintain,  that  an  appropriation  of  Christ  is  essential  to 
faith  ;  that  none  have  the  proper  scriptural  faith,  but  those 
who  are  taught  by  the  enlightening  Spirit  to  say,  He  shed 
his  blood  for  mc.^^ 

Page  272 — 278.  Theron,  after  agreeing  with  Aspasio 
about  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ's  righteousness  makes,  this 
complaint:  "But -it  seems  to  be  quite  out  of  my  reach." 


LET.   l]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  5 

To  obviate  this  complaint,  Aspasio  inquires,  '*  Are  you  sen- 
sible that  you  need  this  immaculate  and  perfect  righteousness 
of  our  Saviour/"  This,  being  answered  in  the  affirmative, 
is  followed  by  another  question,  "  Do  you  earnestly  desire  this 
righteousness?"  which  also  receives  the  like  answer;  but 
still  a  tacit  complaint  remains  couched  in  these  words,  "And 
that  would  be  a  blessed  day,  a  day  greatly  to  be  distinguished, 
which  should  bring  it  7icar  to  my  view,  and  home  to  my 
soul."  Aspasio,  in  his  reply,  after  putting  the  case  of  Theron 
being  overtaken  by  a  dark  and  tempestuous  night,  and  arriv- 
ing late  at  the  house  of  some  valued  friend,  addresses  him 

thus :   "  Was  you  not  icilling  to  gain  admittance  1  &c. 

The  adored  Immanuel  professes  himself  equally  willing  to 
come  unto  you  who  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  consent  to  his 
overtures ;  equally  willing  to  make  his  abode  with  you, 
to  manifest  his  glories  in  you,  and  communicate  his  merits 
to  you. 

"  Thcr,  I  cannot  open  my  heart."  "  Asj).  Christ  has  the 
key  of  David,  &c.  Since  you  hunger  after  the  righteous- 
ness, and  thirst  for  the  Spirit  of  the  crucified  holy  Jesus,  he 
himself  has  pronounced  you  blessedP "-Ther.  Ah !  my  As- 
pasio !  I  cannot  believe ;  I  feel  my  impotency.  My  mind 
is,  as  you  formerly  hinted,  like  the  withered  arm."  ''Asp.  It 
is  no  small  advantage,  Theron,  to  be  convinced  of  our  ina- 
bility in  this  respect.  This  is,  if  not  the  beginning  of  faith, 
the  sign  of  its  approach ;  and  shows  it  to  be,  if  not  in  the 

soul,  yet  at  the  very   door.- Fear    not,    my  friend;    he 

that  bids  you  stretch  out,  will  strengthen  the  withered  arm. 
He  first  makes  us  sensible  of  our  weakness,  and  then  fulfils 
all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will^  OAid  the  work  of  faith  with, 
powe  r. 

"  Can  you  doubt  of  his  wiMingness  ?- Since  you  are 

sensible  of  your  impotence,  beware  of  the  contrary  extreme. 
Because  you  cannot,  by  your  own  strength,  exercise  faith, 
let  not  this  occasion  a  tame  resignation  of  yourself  to  infideli- 
ty. You  must  endeavour,  diligently  endeavour,  to  believe ; 
and  wait  and  pray  for  the  divine  Spirit.  Though  it  is  his 
office  to  testify  of  Christ,  and  bring  near  the  Redeemer's 
righteous?iess ;  yet  his  influences  are  not  to  supersede,  but 
to  encourage  our  own  efforts. ■  ■  ■  Wouk  out  your  own  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  tremblizig  ;  here  is.  our  duty:  for  it  is 
God  that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  :  here  is  our 
encouragement. 

"  You  was  once,  Theron,  a  zealous  advocate  for  good 
works.  Now»  you  seem  to  have  abandoned  your  clients. 
1* 


6  IJETTERS  OS  [let.   I. 

Remember,  my  dear  friend,  what  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
says,  This  is  the  ivork  of  God,  of  all  works  most  acceptable, 
and  most  honourable  to  the  divine  Majesty,  that  you  believe 
on  hifn  whom  he  hath  sent.^' 

"  Thcr.  The  true  belief,  according  to  your  notion,  Aspasio, 
is  so  refined  and  exahed  a  virtue,  that  I  very  much  question 
whether  I  shall  ever  be  able  to  attain  it." 

''Asp,  If  you  are  unable  to  attain  it,  is  the  Lord  unable 
to  give  it?  Our  sufficiency  for  this,  and  every  good  work,  is 
not  in  ourselves,  but  in  God." 

Page  284.  "  Ther.  To  trust  in  Christ,  as  an  all-sufficient 
Saviour,  and  rely  on^  him  for  whole  salvation^  is  not  this 
real  faith?"  ''Asp.  If  you  trust  in  the  all-sufficiency  of  his 
will,  as  well  as  of  his  power,  you  practice  what  I  recom- 
mend."  


Pag.  297.  "  Ther.  If  we  feel  an  aversion-  to  sin,  and 
prize  the  blessed  Jesus  above  all  things ;  if  the  prevailing  bias 
of  our  affections  be  to  the  divine  Redeemer,  and  the  habitual 
breathing  of  our  souls  after  a  conformity  to  his  image,  may 
we  not  suppose  ourselves  possessed  of  the  truth  and  reality^ 
though  we  have  not  the  confidence  and  rejoicing  of  faith?— 
I  say  IV c,  because  I  apprehend  this  is  not  my  peculiar  case, 
but  common  to  myself  and  many  others.  I  ask,  therefore,  in 
their  name  and  in  my  own,  may  we  not  suppose  our  condition 
safe,  though  we  dare  not  presume  to  use  the  language  of  the 
spouse,  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his  ?"  ''Asp. — Let  these 
persons  know,  whatever  their  names  or  their  circumstances 
are,  that  they  have  as  good  a  right  to  adopt  the  words  you 
mention,  as  Philenor  has  to  call  these  gardens  his  own. 
Yet  they  will  do  well  to  remember,  that  these  qualifications, 
however  amiable,  are  by  no  means  the  ground  of  their  right. 
They  are  to  advance  their  claim,  and  hold  fast  the  blessing,. 
not  as  men  ornamented  with  fine  endowments,  but  as  poor, 
indigent,  guilty  sinners.  For  such  the  Saviour  is  provided, 
to  such  his  benefits  are  proposed,  on  such  his  grace  will  be 
magnified." 

Page  301.  On  occasion  of  Theron  and  Aspasio  taking  shel- 
ter, in  the  summer-house,  from  a  violent  storm,  Christ  being 
fitly  represented  as  a  covert  from  the  siorm  and  from  rain,. 
Aspasio  proceeds  thus :  "  If  this  is  a  proper  emblem  of  Christ, 
to  what  shall  we  liken  faith  ?  To  a  persuasion,  that  the  shel- 
ter of  the  summer-house  is  free  for  our  use  ?  that  we  are 
welcome  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  comnK)dk)us  retreat? 
Would  this  defend  us  from  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather  ? 
would  this    keep  us  dry  amidst   the   descending   deluge? 


LET.   l]  THEllON  AND  ASPASIO.  7 

Avould  this  bare  persuasion,  unless  reduced  to  practice,  bo 
any  manner  of  advantage  to  our  persons?  No,  surely.  We 
must  actually  fly  to  the  shelter,  and  we  must  actually  apply 
to  the  Saviour :  otherwise,  I  see  not  what  comfort  or  benefit  caix 
be  derived  from  either. 

"  Ther.  May  I,  then,  from  this  instance,  look  upon  Christ, 
his  glorious  person,  his  perfect  righteousuess,  and  his 
precious  d'eath,  as  iwy  certain  inheritance?  May  I  firmly 
believe,  that,  through  this  grand  and  immensely  meritorious 
cause,  I  shall  have  pardon  and  acceptance,  true  holiness,  and 
endless  salvation  ?"  "  Asji.  Why  should  you  not  believe  all 
this  firmly  ?  You  have  the  same  reason  to  believe  with  a 
steady  confidence,  as  to  believe  with  any  degree  of  affiance. 
It  is  the  free  promise  of  the  gospel  addressed  to  simiers,  that 
warrants  the  latter ;  aud  the  very  same  promise  authorizes 
the  former.'' 

Having  now  quoted  enough  at  present,  I  shall  here  make 
a  stand.  And  before  I  proceed  to  a  more  particular  notice 
of  the  several  passages,  I  cannot  help  reflecting,  with  regret, 
on  the  iTiiaay  artifices  that  have  been  devised  by  some,  and 
unwarily  adopted  and  propagated  by  others,  serving  to  throw 
mist  betwixt  the  eyes  of  men,  aud  the  glory  of  that  righteous^ 
ness  which  dehvers  from  death;  serving  to  confound  and 
perplex  their  minds  about  the  way  of  enjoying  the  unspeaka- 
ble comfort  therein  laid  open,  to  the  guiltiest  of  mankind;  ia 
their  most  desperate  circumstances ;  serving,  in  short,  to  ren- 
der of  none  effect  the  gospel  of  our  salvation.  I  speak  not 
of  those  who  have  employed  their  weapons  against  the  persoa 
and  work  of  Christ,  endeavouring  to  make  us  lose  sight  of 
him  as  a  divine  person,  and  of  his  acting  as  the  substitute  and 
representative  of  sinners  in  the  whole  of  his  obedience  unto 
death  ;  such  as  have  got  aay  taste  of  the  good  word  of  God, 
are  not  in  the  greatest  danger  of  beiag  subverted  by  these : 
but  I  speak  of  those  teachers,  who,  having  largely  insisted  on 
the  corruption  of  human  nature,  concluded  the  whole  world 
guilty  before  God,  eloquently  set  forth  the  necessity  of  an 
atonement,  zealously  maintained  the  scriptural  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  person  and  work  of  Christ ;  yet,  after  all,  leave 
us  as  much  in  the  dark  as  to  our  comfort,  as  ijf  Jesus  Christ 
had  never  appeared ;  and  mark  out  as  insuperabte  a  task  for 
us,  as  if  he  had  not  finished  his  work ;  while,  with  great  as- 
siduity and  earnestness,  they  are  busied  in  describing  to  us, 
animating  us  with  various  encouragements,  and  furnishing 
us  with  manifold  instructions^  how  to  perform  that  strange 


8  LETTERS  ON  [LKT.  I. 

something  which  is  to  make  out  our  connection  with  Christ, 
and  bring  his  righteousness  home  to  us ;  that  something 
which  has  got  many  names,  and  includes  divers  considera- 
tions ;  all  which  have  been  supposed  to  be  comprehended 
under  the  scriptural  expression  FAITH  ;  as  to  which,  after 
all  they  have  told  us  about  it,  we  are  at  as  great  a  loss  to  tell 
distinctly  what  it  is,  or  what  we  are  doing  when  we  perform 
it,  if  not  greater,  than  when  they  began. 

Though,  by  all  who  believe  the  Scriptures,  the  power  and 
cunning  of  the  prime  enemy  of  mankind,  whose  work  stands 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  Spirit  of  truth,  must  be  acknow- 
ledged to  be  very  active  in  promoting  and  enforcing  the  in- 
fluence of  all  those  glosses  on  the  Scriptures,  by  which  the 
minds  of  men  have  been  darkened  about  that  blessed  truth, 
which  contains  the  only  ground  of  hope  for  them,  and  by 
which  they  have  been  furnished  with  directions  setting  them 
to  work  to  do  something,  under  whatever  name,  to  make  up 
their  peace  with  God;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  it  must  be  owned, 
that  all  this  sort  of  doctrine  draws  its  origin  from  a  very  broad 
and  deep  root  in  depraved  human  nature,  from  a  principle 
firmly  settled  in  the  heart  of  every  fool  and  of  every  philoso- 
pher. Hence  it  is  that  Christianity  can  never  become  popu- 
lar in  any  nation,  unless  it  be  taught  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
leave  room  for  the  gratification  of  this  common  principle; 
and  hence  it  is  that  philosophers  will  always  have  a  copious 
fund  of  arguments  against  it,  and  will  always  despise  it  as 
unsuitable  to  nature  ;  though  the  wisest  and  best  of  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  history  of  human  nature  given  us  by  its  author, 
possess  it  only  in  its  depraved  condition,  and  can  have  no 
opportunity  of  observing  it  in  others,  but  in  that  same  con- 
dition. 

In  order  to  have  a  proper  view  of  this  common  principlej 
we  must  trace  it  to  its  source,  and  consider  man  in  his  first 
condition.  The  Scripture  then  gives  us  to  understand,  that 
when  man  was  created,  and  Paradise  fitted  up  for  him,  he 
was  framed  to  live,  or  enjoy  the  divine  ihvour,  by  his  own 
righteousness.  He  was  not  made  like  other  animals,  to  live 
by  his  food  alone :  he  was  framed  to  know  his  dependence 
on  his  Creator,  to  hear  his  voice,  and  obey  it ;  and  thus  to  be 
conscious  of  his  favour,,  so.  long  as  he  was  conscious  of  having 
done  nothing  to  deserve  the  loss  of  it.  So  we  find  he  re- 
ceived his  food  by  a  formal  grant  from  the  voice  of  God,  and 
included  in  that  grant  a  command  to  be  a  test  of  his  loyahy 
and  dependence  ;  and  his  obedience  was  to  be  the  security  of 


LET.   l]  THERON  AND  ASPAaiO.  9 

all  his  happiness.  If  it  be  inquired,  what  was  the  language 
of  nature  then,  as  to  the  concerns  of  man  Avith  God  ?  we  must 
say,  that  God  was  very  profuse  in  his  gifts,  and  no  less  pe- 
remptory in  his  commands ;  that  he  was  very  kind  to  the 
obedient,  and  no  less  severe  to  the  transgressor  :  we  must  say^ 
that  man  could  have  no  hope  of  any  further  friendly  corres- 
pondence with  him,  if  once  his  righteousness  was  stained  with 
one  act  of  disobedience.  And  the  condemnation  that  has 
since  followed,  of  all  mankind  to  death,  for  one  single  trans- 
gression, and  that  not  of  what  is  called  moral,  but  of  a  posi- 
tive precept,  as  a  standing  proof  of  the  extent  of  the  divine 
displeasure  against  sin. 

When  man  became  a  sinner,  nature  could  point  out  no 
way  of  relief  for  him.  Every  attempt  now  to  become  righte- 
ous before  God,  and  much  more  every  imagination  that  God 
would  assist  him  in  any  such  attempt,  behooved  to  be  criminal 
in  man,  and  to  carry  in  it  a  dishonourable  reflection  against 
his  Creator  and  Judge,  as  if  he  could  be  pleased  with  an  im- 
perfect righteousness,  or  a  righteousness  stained  with  sin.* 
Yet,  as  by  his  original  constitution,  he  was  framed  to  live  by 
his  own  righteousness,  and  to  enjoy  an  happy  earthly  life  as 
its  reward ;  and  as  he  knows  no  other  supports  against  des- 
pair, he  still  reiaias  the  strongest  propensity  toward  bot?! 
thf-se.  And  though  disqppoinimeat  has  hiih^rto  attended  all 
his  attempts  this  way ;  yet  his  pride  still  flatters  him  wirh 
the  prospect  of  better  success,  by  means  of  new  improve- 
ments in  his  attempts. 

This  propensity,  this  common  principle  in  all  men,  must 
now  be  considered  as  nature  corrupted ;  and  it  is  from  this 
source  that  we  find  the  Scripture  deducing  all  the  corrup- 
tion that  is  in  the  world. 

Every  scheme  of  religion  devised  by  men.  has  been  con- 
trived for  the  gratifying  of  this  pi.nciple:  and  from  hence 
every  corruption  of  that  rehgion  which  came  from  heaven 
takes  its  rise.  But  when  I  reflect  to  whom  I  am  writing,  I 
find  myself  eased  of  the  trouble  of  insisting  on  the  manifold 
proofs  that  might  be  adduxed  for  this :  for  every  one  who 
agrees  with  the  Apostle  m  saying,  Far  be  it  l\  that  I  should 

*  Notwithstandin;^  what  is  al)Ove  .said,  I  am  far  from  thinking  that 
any  hone.st  or  sincere  attempt  to  please  God,  ever  failed  of  succe.s.-^. 
Yea,  I  am  ready  to  show,  that  all  objection.s  and  inipedimenL"*  ha\o 
been,  by  a  particular  divine  edict  for  that  purpo.se,  removed  and  dis- 
pensed with  in  favour  of  all  who  are  sincerely  well  disposed,  whenever 
they  .shall  be  found. 

t  M^  yaioira.     As  this  Greek  phrase  is  commonly  used  by  Paul,  to 


10  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  t. 

glory,  save  hi  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom 
the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  ivorld,  must 
see  how  opposite  the  gospel  is  to  this  universal  bias,  this  cor- 
ruption of  nature. 

Every  doctrine,  then,  which  teaches  us  to  do  or  endeavour 
any  thing  toward  our  acceptance  with  God,  stands  opposed 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostles;  which,  instead  of  directing 
us  what  to  do,  sets  before  us  all  that  the  most  disquieted 
conscience  can  require,  in  order  to  acceptance  with  God,  as 
already  done  and  finished  by  Jesus  Christ.  What  Christ 
hath  done,  is  that  which  pleases  God ;  w^hat  he  hath  done,  is 
that  which  quiets  the  guilty  conscience  of  man  as  soon  as  he 
knows  it :  so  that  whenever  he  hears  of  it,  he  has  no  occa- 
sion for  any  other  question  but  this,  Is  it  true  or  not  %  If  he 
finds  it  true,  he  is'happy,  if  not,  he  can  reap  no  comfort  by  it. 
If  then  we  slight  the  comfort  arising  from  the  bare  persua- 
sion of  this,  it  must  be  owing,  at  bottom,  to  our  slighting  this 
bare  truth,  to  our  slighting  the  bare  work  of  Christ,  and  our 
considering  it  as  too  narrow  a  foundation  whereon  to  rest  the 
whole  weight  of  our  acceptance  with  God.  Whereas  all 
Christians  of  the  same  stamp  with  Paul,  can  never  see  it  in 
too  bare  a  light,  and  are  ready  to  say^  Far  be  it !  that  we 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross,  where  that  work  was 
finished. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  sinner  finds  his  first  glimpse  of 
comfort,  his  first  ray  of  hope,  from  any  other  source :  if  he 
finds  any  good  motions  already  begun  in  his  heart,  and  finds 
reason  to  consider  God  as  seconding  and  forwarding  such 
motions ;  then  his  friendly  correspondence  with  God  is  al- 
ready begun  :  for  he  finds  he  has  already  begun  to  move  in  a 
course  wherein  he  is  favoured  and  assisted  by  God.  And  it 
may  well  be  affirmed,  that  by  whatever  means  his  friendly 
correspondence  with  God  is  begun,  much  more  may  it  be 
carried  on  and  perfected  by  the  same  or  the  like  means.  For 
as  he  improves  in  goodness,  he  has  still  more  reason  to  look 
for  fresh  supplies  of  assistance  from  God,  than  in  his  first 
feeble  and  doubtful  attempts.  Even  as  all  who  glory  only  in 
the  cross,  and  have  got  their  first  taste  of  peace  with  God  from 
the  bare  work  finished  there,,  may  well  reason  in  this  manner. 


repel  with  abhorrence  some  reflection  against  the  divine  ch;u*acter,  tjiere 
is  a  manifest  impropriety  in  aj)plying  the  phrase  given  by  our  translators 
to  such  ca.ses;  as  when  the  reflection  is  signified  thus,  Is  God  uvrighte- 
Oiis?  to  repel  it  by  saying,  God  forbid.  And  all  the  cases  wherein  Paul 
uses  the  Greek  phrase,  will  be  found  to  be  nearly  a  kin  to  this. 


lET.  l]  THERON  AND  ASPA6I0.  11 

Much  more  then  being  now  justified  by  ?iis  blood,  we  shall  he 
saved  from  wrath  through  him. 

Whatever  doctrine  then  teaches  us  to  think,  tliat  our 
friendly  correspondence  or  acceptance  with  God  is  begun  by 
our  own  good  endeavours,  seconded  by  the  divine  aid,  or  even 
first  prompted  by  the  divine  influence,  leads  us  to  look  for 
acceptance  with  God  by  our  own  righteousness:  for  whatever 
I  do,  however  assisted  or  prompted,  is  still  my  own  work ; 
otherwise  the  most  common  actions  of  life  could  not  be  called 
our  own,  seeing  in  all  these  we  must  still  acknowledge  our 
dependence  on  God,  in  whom  we  live,  move,  and  have  our 
being.  Agreeably  to  what  is  now  said,  we  may  find  philoso- 
phers and  Pharisees,  both  ancient  and  modern,  in  the  height 
of  their  self-applause,  acknowledging  divine  assistance,  and 
ready  to  agree  in  using  language  like  this,  God,  I  thank 
theifor  my  excellency  above  other  men. 

We  must  begin  our  religion  then  as  we  would  end  it. 
Our  acceptance  with  God,  first  and  last,  must  rest  entirely  on 
the  w^ork  finished  by  Jesus  Christ  on  the  cross  :  or  we  must 
betake  ourselves  to  what  many  call  the  religion  of  nature, 
and  what  God  warrants  us  to  call  the  religion  of  pride,  as 
li)eing  no  less  opposite  to  the  law  of  nature,  than  to  the  gospel. 

But  it  is  now  time  that  we  should  hear  Aspasio.  He  tells 
«s,  "  Faith  is  a  real  persuasion  that  Christ  died /or  7;ic." 

This  account  of  faith  given  us  by  Aspasio,  seems  to  me 
somewhat  to  resemble  the  arch  of  a  bridge  thrown  over  a 
river,  having  the  one  end  settled  on  a  rock,  and  the  other  on 
sand  or  mud,  so  needing  a  great  many  subsidiary  props  to 
support  its  own  weight ;  and  which  after  all  is  liable  to  be  un- 
dermined by  every  land-flood  or  swell  of  the  river ;  and  there- 
fore, the  traveller  had  need  to  be  cautious  how  he  ventures 
upon  it. 

That  Christ  died,  that  he  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for  many, 
is  indeed  a  truth  fully  ascertained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  es- 
tablished there,  firm  as  a  rock,  for  the  relief  of  the  shipwreck- 
ed and  the  desperate ;  yea,  many  finding  rest  here,  have  been 
determined  to  follow  Christ,  at  all  hazards,  having  no  other 
reason  to  give  for  their  attachment,  but,  Thou  hast  the  words 
of  eternal  life. 

That  Christ  died  for  me,  is  a  point  not  so  easily  settled : 
and,  therefore,  I  am  not  surprised  to  find  Aspasio  labouring 
hard,  Avith  much  eloquence  and  skill,  to  establish  it  by  a  va- 
riety of  props ;  and  after  all  very  ready,  not  only  to  pardon, 


12  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   I. 

but  also  to  sympathize  with  his  friend  upon  liis  remissness 
and  inactivity  to  come  up  to  it. 

This  is  a  point  which  the  Scripture  no  where  ascertains  ; 
so  far  from  it,  that  it  often  afhrms  the  final  perdition  of  many, 
not  merely  hearers  of  the  gospel,  but  who  have  heard  and 
received  it  with  joy  ;  yea,  of  those  who  have  made  such  pro- 
gress, that  their  only  deficiency  is,  that  their  fruit  came  not 
to  perfection.  It  affirms,  that  such  as  have  been  enlightened, 
and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  have  been  made  par- 
takers of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of 
God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  mnj  yet  fall  away 
irrecoverably.  Yea,  it  declares,  in  passages  plainly  pointing 
to  zealous  professors  of  Christianity,  that  wide  is  the  gate  and 
broad  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  destruction,  and  many 
there  be  which  go  in  thereat ;  that  straight  is  the  gate  and 
narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be 
that  find  it ;  that  many  shall  seek  to  enter  hi,  and  shall  not  be 
able ;  yea,  that  notwithstanding  their  great  confidence  about 
their  acquaintance  with  Christ,  and  their  interest  in  him,  and 
their  experience  of  his  presence  with  them,  he  will  at  last 
say  unto  them,  /  7iever  knew  you,  depart  from  me.  When 
they  are  condemned  then  as  hypocrites  and  unbelievers,  they 
are  not  condemned  for  want  of  Aspasio's  faith ;  and  that  for 
these  two  reasons.  The  first  is,  It  was  never  true  that  Christ 
died  for  them ;  the  second  is,  They  were  not  faulty  in  this 
respect ;  for  the  sacred  text  describes  them  as  rather  too  con- 
fident alDout  their  interest  in  Christ. 

The  gospel  proposes  nothing  to  be  believed  by  us,  but 
what  is  infallibly  true,  whether  we  believe  it  or  not.  For 
shall  our  own  unbelief  make  the  faith  or  veracity  of  God  of 
none  effect?  Far  be  it !  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  not  one  of  his  words  shall  fall  to  the  ground.  The  gos- 
pel, which  foretells  the  final  perdition  of  so  many  of  its  hearers, 
so  many  seriously  and  zealously  exercised  about  it,  can  never 
warrant  us  to  persuade  every  one  who  hears  it,  to  believe  that 
Christ  died  for  him  ;  unless  we  shall  say  that  Christ  died  for 
every  individual  of  mankind,  and  consequently,  that  none  of 
mankind  owe  their  salvation  wholly  to  his  death. 

Though  I  do  not  see  how  Aspasio's  account  of  faith  can 
be  maintained  without  saying  this,  yet  I  would  be  far  from 
charging  a  consequence  of  my  drawing,  upon  Aspasio,  as 
his  doctrine.  Though  in  his  beginning  to  persuade  the 
young  Eugenio  to  be  a  Christian,  he  directly  afhrms  to  him, 
that  Christ  died  for  him,  vol.  1,  ;p.  237.     I  would  rather 


Night  L 


LET.  l]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  13 

choose  to  look  on  tliis  as  spoken  by  way  of  ingratiating  ad- 
dress to  gain  the  young  gentleman's  favourable .  attention,  or 
on  account  of  some  amiable  disposition  he  had  observed 
about  him,  than  to  conclude  from  thence  that  Aspasio  would 
affirm  the  same  thing  to  every  individual  of  the  human 
race. 

Aspasio's  favourite  poet  seems  to  me  to  be  more  consistent 
with  himself  on  this  point ;  for  he  roundly  maintains,  that 
Christ  died,  as  well  for  infidels  as  for  believers,  as  well  for 
the  damned  as  for  the  saved.     Addressing  infidcLs,  he  says, 

"  And  was  the  ransom  paid ?  it  was:  and  paid 
(What  can  exalt  the  bounty  more  ?)  for  you." 

Pointing  to  Caiaphas  at  the  last  judgment, 

"  Mistaken  Caiaphas !  ah  !  wliich  blasphem'd, 
Thou  m  thy  prLs'ner ?  which  shallbe  condemn'd  ? 
Well  might.st  thou  rend  thy  garments,  well  exclaim, 
Deep  are  the  horrors  of  eternal  flame ! 
But  God  is  good !  'tis  wondrous  all !  ev'n  he 
Thou  gav'st  to  death,  shame,  torture,  died  for  thee." 

Last  Day,  bjok  t. 

Describing  the  horrors  of  the  damned, 

"  Ah  !  mercy  !  mercy !  art  thou  dead  above  ? 

Is  love  extinguish'd  in  the  source  of  love  1 

Bold  that  I  am,  did  heav'n  stoop  down  to  hell  ? 

Th'  expiring  Lord  of  life  my  mn-som  seal  f 

Have  I  not.been  indu.strious  to  provoke.; 

From  iiis  embraces  obstinately  broke  ?"  Ibid,  book  S, 

According  to  him,  then,  the  damned  are  originally  as  much 
interested  in  the  death  of  Christ  as  the  saved ;  and  if  we  in- 
quire what  constitutes  the  difference,  or  to  what  the  happy 
state  of  the  latter  is  originall}^  owing,  we  may  gather  it  from 
such  lines  as  these. 

'•  NatKTR  delights  in  progress,  in  advance 

From  worse  to  better:  but  when  mi^ffs  advance, 

Progress  in  part  depends  upon  themselves. 


*  I  presume  that  the  emphatic  you,  so  often  repeated  in  an  address  to 
thetcidcrd  in  the  dose  of  the  sermon,  entitled,  The  Cross  of  Christ  the 
Christian's  glory,  is  not  to  be  understood  in  the  like  extent  a.s  m  the  Night- 
thoughts,  Look  unto  the  crucified  Jesus,  why  does  he  hang  "  on  that 
bloody  tree?  why  is  his  flesh  rent  with  irons?  It  is  for  you,  sinners  for 
you.  That  blood  is  poured  out  to  cleanse  you  from  g^iih.  Those  wounds 
are  sustained  to  heal  yoiir  consciences." 

Here  I  beg  leave  to  make  one  obvious  reflection,  that  when  one  inii- 
t.'ites  the  style  of  his  favourite  author,  on  a, point  about  which  they  think 
differently,  some  care  ought  to  be  taken  to  note  the  difference  of  senti- 
ments. 

2 


14  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  I. 

Heaven  aids  exertion ;  greater  malies  the  great, 

The  voluntary  little  lessens  more. 

O  be  a  man  !  and  thou  shalt  be  a  God  ! 

And  half  self-made ! — ambition  how  divine !"  [Night  9. 

Addressing  man, 

"  Dread  eternity  has  sown  her  seeds 

Of  bliss  and  wo  in  thy  despotic  breast ; 

— Heaven  and  hell  depend  upon  thy  choice."  Jhid. 

Addressing  Lorenzo, 

"  And  JUST  are  all,  determined  to  reclaim  ; 

Which  sets  that  title  high  within  thy  reach."  J  bid. 

After  expressing  aversion  to  insist  on  the  torments  await- 
ing the  wicked,  he  addresses  the  muse  thus : 

"  But  rather,  if  thou  know'st  the  means,  unfold 
How  they  with  transport  may  the  scene  behold. 

Ah  how !  but  by  repentance,  by  a  mind 

Quick  and  severe  its  own  offence  to  find ! 

By  tears,  and  groans,  and  never  ceasing  care, 

And  all  the  pious  violence  of  pray 'r  ?  Last  Day,  book  2. 

— Reason  rebaptiz'd  me  when  adult, 
Weigh'd  true  and  false  in  her  impartial  scale, 
My  heart  became  tlie  convert  of  my  head. 

Reason  pursued  in  faith ; 

Reason  the  root,  fair  faith  is  but  the  flower."  NiglU  4. 

"  'Tis  guilt  alone  can  justify  his  death ; 

Nor  that  unless  his  death  can  justify 

Relenting  guilt  in  Heaven's  indulgent  sight. 

If  sick  of  folly  I  relent,  he  writes 

My  name  in  heaven,  with  that  inverted  spear 

(A  spear  dipped  in  blood !)  which  pierc'd  his  side ; 

And  open'd  there  a  font  for  all  mankind. 

Who  strive,  who  combat  crimes,  to  drink  and  live. 

This,  only  this,  subdues  the  fear  of  death."  Ibid. 

These  lines,  and  many  others  to  the  same  purpose,  need  no 
comment ;  we  need  not  wonder,  then,  that  a  poet  so  nervous 
in  his  diction  and  so  bold  in  his  images,  and  whose  leading 
sentiment  in  religion  is  so  agreeable  to  the  universal  bias, 
should  be  very  acceptable  to  the  public,  and  that  the  press 
should  scarcely  supply  the  demands  for  his  writings. 

In  this  author,  we  have  a  lively  instance,  showing  us,  to 
what  heights  men  may  go,  in  fervent  expressions,  and  even 
rapturous  sentiments,  about  the  atonement ;  while  yet  they 
consider  all  the  grand  things  revealed  concerning  it,  only  as 


LET.  II. J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  15 

SO  many  good  and  excellent  materials  lo  work  upon,  in  order 
to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  and  attain  some  dis- 
tinguishing qualification  beyond  others  for  acceptance  with 
God ;  or,  in  fewer  words,  while  yet  they  consider  them  only 
as  a  proper  footstool  for  human  pride.  What  uninspired 
man  ever  expressed  a  bolder  sentiment  about  the  atonement, 
than  what  is  contained  in  these  lines  ? 

"  My  heart !  awake. 
What  can  awake  thee,  unawak'd  by  this 
Expended  Deity  on  human  weal  ?''''  Night  A. 

Yet,  perhaps,  it  will  appear  in  the  sequel,  that  mistakes  about 
the  divine  grace  manifested  in  the  atonement,  mistakes  far 
less  obvious  and  glaring  than  those  of  this  author,  have 
proved  the  fatal  means  of  utterly  excluding  such  as  enter- 
tained them,  from  partaking  of  the  great  and  eternal  benefit 
conveyed  by  that  grace,  to  all  who  know  and  understand  it 
in  simplicity. 

Having  now  begim  to  enter  upon  my  piea  with  Aspasio,  I 
shall  here  put  an  end  to  this  letter,  and  subscribe  myself, 
with  great  respect. 

Dear  Sir, 

Your  friend  and  servant. 


LETTER  IL 


Dear  Sir, 

Thus  I  am  still  led  to  address  you,  from  the  endearing 
view  I  have  of  you  in  the  sterling  part  of  your  creed ;  though 
I  must  own  I  behooved  to  have  held  you  much  dearer,  had  I 
found  your  faith  first  and  last  fit  to  bear  the  apostolic  stamp ; 
the  stamp  which  the  apostles  put  on  the  faith  of  the  first 
Christians,  whom  they  addressed  thus:  To  them  who  have 
obtained  ILOTIMON  equally  precious  faith  with  us  in  the 
righteousness  of  our  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.     Yet  as 


16  LETTERS  ON  fLET.   II, 

the  precious  metal  disentangles  itself  from  the  vile  in-  the 
furnace,  I  am  not  without  hopes  that  your  faith,  on  a  proper 
trial,  may  work  itself  clear  of  the  ingredierrfs  that  sink  its 
value.  This  I  may  hope  from  t>he  great  excellency  of 
divine  truth  above  human  artifice,  and  its  gemrine  abhorrence 
of  every  mixture. 

Since  I  wrote  my  last,  I  have  been  taking  a  fresh  view  of 
the  dialogues  and  letters,  that  I  might  the  better  assure  my- 
self of  Aspasio's  real  meaning;  for  the  same  end  I  have  been 
looking  again  at  the  two  volumes  of  Meditations,  &c.,  pre- 
suming'that  Aspasio's  meaning  could  receive  no  hurt  by  any 
illustration  drawn  from  thence ;  and  I  must  own,  that  while 
I  made  my  survey,  such  was  the  effect  of  the  16th  dialogue, 
that  it  seemed,  like  a  dark  cloud  arising  in  the  west,  and-  e» 
tending  itself  eastward,  till  it  makes  all  the  beauties  of  the 
morning  to  languish,  and  damps  the  hopes  excited  by  the 
cheerful  dawn  ;  or  like  the  chilling  influence  of  the  torpedo, 
which  benumbs  the  hand  and  arm  of  him  who  touches  it. 
Many  glowing  pages  seemed  to  abate  their  fervour,  and  many 
nervous  expressions  to  lose  their  natural  vigour  ;  or  perhaps 
it  will  be  said,  that  w^hen  once  the  eye  is  tinged,  every  objeet 
begins  to  appear  in  a  more  disadvantageous  light ;  but  what- 
ever be  the  cause,  such  was  the  effect. 

I  found  evident  marks  of  one  spirit  breathing  through  the 
whole ;  I  cannot,  therefore,  agree  with  the  suspicion  I  have 
iiueard  hinted  by  some  of  your  fondest  readers,  that  you  had 
drank  out  of  some  impure  fountain  since  the  writing  of  the 
two  volumes  of  Meditations,  &.c.,  and  far  less  with  others, 
who  have  dated  your  change  of  sentiments  since  the  writing 
of  the  two  first  volumes  of  Dialogues.  After  all,  I  must  do 
you  the  justice  to  own,  that  I  find  the  grand  peculiarity  of 
the  Christian  religion,  the  capital  point,  making  a  more 
striking  and  distinguished  figure  in  your  writings,  than  in 
any  that  I  have  seen  of  the  popular  ministers,  for  some  of 
whom  you  possess  the  highest  rfgard.  But  never  did  the 
ancient  proverb  hold  truer  in  any  case  than  in  this,  A  little 
leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lum'p.  In  most  of  their  practical 
writings  and  sermons,  I  perceive  the  feaven  almost  at  every 
opening  of  the  book,  but  mwe  especially  when  they  come 
to  make  their  ajiplicatlons,  where  P  can  find  little  beside. 
In  yours  I  shall  only  say,  1  wish  I  had  not  found  it  at  all. 
This  is  that  leaven  of  which  Jesus  called  his  disciples  to  be- 
Avare,  even  those  disciples  who  had'  their  religion  from  the 
very  lips  of  the  object  of  worship,  and  whose  faith  he  had, 
by  his  approbation,  staniped  as  genuine  and  divine. 


LET.   II. ]  THERON  AND  ASPaSIO.  17 

Can  any  of  us  now  imagine  that  we  stand  in  less  need  of 
that  caution  than  they  did?  But  the  great  difficulty  is,  to 
persuade  us  that  our  danger  is  equal  to  what  their's  was.  All 
the  names  and  designations  under  which  the  ancient  opposers 
and  underminers  of  the  truth  are  pointed  forth  to  us  in  the 
Scriptures,  are  now  held  odious,  especially  by  such  as  walk 
in  their  very  footsteps  ;  in  like  manner,  almost  every  notable 
expression  by  which  the  truth  is  asserted  and  illustrated  in  the 
Scriptures,  has  been  stript  of  the  ancient  simplicity  of  its 
meaning;  not  only  so,  but  almost  every  passage  of  Scripture 
has  been  dislocated,  and  every  clause  or  verse  regimented 
according  to  the  fancy  of  self-seeking  men,  in  their  several 
systems. 

If  I  should  say,  that  our  modern  demagogues  have  done 
more  hurt  to  the  souls  of  men,  than  all  those  stigmatized  with 
the  name  of  infidel  writers  have  done  together,  the  reflection 
would  be  thought  odious.  I  would  be  referred  to  many  pas- 
sages in  their  treatises,  asserting  almost  every  branch  of  the 
Christian  doctrine,  in  words  not  easily  to  be  contradicted ;  and 
though  I  might  fairly  show  a  complete  system  of  self-depen- 
dence to  be  contained  in  these  same  treatises,  yea,  to  be  the 
leading  scope  and  design  of  them,  yet  it  is  easy  to  see  that 
such  a  discovery,  or  any  attempt  toward  it,  behooved  to  meet 
with  the  greatest  opposition  from  all  who  feed  on  this  com- 
pound doctrine,  especially  from  those  who  have  the  largest 
share  of  religious  pride.  For  men  do  not  choose  to  be 
scared  away  by  arguments  from  the  food  which  they  love 
best. 

If  you  should  throw  some  handfuls  of  barley  among  ever 
so  great  a  quantity  of  pearls,  the  poultry  will  indeed  resort 
to  the  pearls ;  but  it  is  their  natural  food  that  draws  them : 
and  if  they  should  swallow  a  few  of  the  pearls,  it  is  only  as 
they  sometimes  do  gravel,  for  the  better  digestion  of  their  food; 
for  it  is  the  barley  that  fattens  them.  And  well  do  the  pastors, 
I  speak  of,  know  how  to  season  and  mix  up  the  Christian 
truth  with  proper  ingredients  to  suit  the  taste  of  the  people, 
and  the  people  accordingly  flock  in  muhitudes  after  them ; 
or,  to  express  myself  in  more  obsolete  style,  They  are  of  the 
world,  therefore  speak  they  of  the  world,  and  the  world  hear- 
eth  them.  That  I  may  not  seem  to  have  disjointed  this  ancient 
saying  from  its  context,  I  would  have  it  noticed,  that  the  chief 
thing  aimed  at  there  is,  to  make  us  cautious  of  hearkening  to 
every  spirit  or  doctrine,  by  which  men  pretend  to  assure  them- 
selves of  the  favour  of  God,  or  that  Christ  abideth  in  them. 
The  sacred  writer,  after  showing  us  by  what  spirit  he  and  his 
2* 


>8  LETTERS   OX  [LET.    II. 

fellows  were  assured  of  this,  adds,  Beloved,  helicce  not  ever  if 
spirit,  but  try  the  spirits,  ivhetlier  they  art  of  God.  Then  giv^- 
ing  us  several  rules  to  judge  by,  he  sums  them  up  in  these 
words,  Wc  (tlue  apostles)  are  of  God  :  he  that  knoweih  God, 
hearcth  ns ;.  he  that  is  not  of  God,  hearcth  not  us.  Hereby 
know  we  the  spirit  of  truth,  and  the  spirit  of  error.  Keeping 
then  this  rule  in  our  view,  let  us  return  to  th-e  examination  of 
Aspasio. 

I  WOULD  willingly  know  by  what  authority  Aspasio  calls 
every  one  to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  him.  The  Scripture 
no  where  says-,  that  Christ  died  for  such  a  one  who  now  for 
the  first  time  hears  the  gospel ;  what  then  shall  persuade hjm 
that  it  is  true  ? 

Will  the  grave  affirmation  and  earnest  call  of  a  devout  and 
revered  preacher  be  of  any  weight  in  this  matter  ? 

Or  is  this  a  point  whose  truth  or  certainty  is  made  out  by 
the  pains  taken  to  believe  it? 

Or  does  the  Spirit  that  breathes  in  the  Scripture,  whisper 
any  thing  privately  to  the  hearer  in  confirmation  of  this,  beside 
what  he  publicly  speaks  in  the  Scripture  % 

Perhaps  it  will  be  fouiidupon  inquiry,  that  the  appropria- 
tion in  question  is  supported  by  a  concurrence  of  all  these 
imaginations ;  and  not  only  so,  but  is  also  su-bservient  to  sev- 
eral purposes  extremely  foreign  to  the  design  of  the  gospeL 

As  to  what  is  hinted  in  the  first  of  these  tliree  queries,  seeing 
Aspasio  is  not  one  of  what  is  called  the  sicred  order  himself, 
what  I  have  to  say  on  this  head  will  more  immediately  re- 
gard those  of  that  order,  who  have  taught  oi*  encouraged  him 
in  his  account  of  faith,  and  whose  honour  is  not  a  Little  con- 
cerned in  it ;  especially  such  distinguished  feaders  of  the  peo- 
ple as  escort  him  at  the  foot  of  his  page  ?  leaders  who  have 
been  considered  as  burning  and  shining  lights  in  that  part  of 
the  island  where  they  lived,  by  mukitudes  who  yet  rejoiced 
in  their  writings.  And  it  must  be  owned,  that  wheu  the  hon- 
our of  the  clergy  is  entwisted  with  any  error  about  the  truth, 
and  there  are  few  wherein  it  is  not  more  or  less  interested,  it 
becomes,  then,  the  more  difficult  to  disentangle  the  simple  truth 
from  the  rubbish  wherein  it  is  buried 

Do  not  imagine  that  I  am  going  to  shock  your  deUcacy, 
by  entering  upon  the  trite  topics  o(  wit  a;gainst  the  clerg}',  by 
which  the  mirth  of  every  fool  is  promoted ;  no,  my  plea  is  of 
a  graver  nature,  and  I  am  the  rather  encouraged  by  the  singu- 
lar modesty  which  appears  in  your  writings,  to  express  my- 
self  with  freedom  to  you  on  this  subject. 


LET.   II.]  THERON    AND   ASPASIO.  W 

What  I  huve  chiefly  in  view,  is  the  ^reat  hurt  done  to  tlie 
consciences  of  many,  in  their  most  serious  moments,  by  thos^^ 
leaders,  who,,  along  Avith  what  they  tell  the  people  about  Jesus 
Christ,  have  the  address  to  insiniiKite  into  their  minds  a  high 
sense  of  their  own  importance  ;  to  insinuate  did  I  say  1  yea,  to 
mainta'n  it  with  a  hiigl>  band,  and  to  proclaim  it  with  as  great 
solemnity  as  any  part  of  the  gospel ;  by  which  menus  they 
have  a  great  advantage  over  the  minds  of  the  people,  and 
have  it  in  their  power  to  mould  and  fashion  the  gospel  ac- 
cording to  their  pleasure.  There  is  ao  occasion  for  a  very 
nice  survey  af  their  writings  in  order  to  evince  the  spirit  of 
their  doctrine;  we  have  the  old  striking  rule  to  judge  by, 
<So  ICC  preached,  and  so  ye  believed.  The  apostles  refer  us 
to  the  faith  and  practice  of  such  as  were  influenced  by 
them,  as  palpable  proofs  of  the  spirit  of  their  doctrine  ;  so,  in 
the  case  before  us,  we  may  easily  perceive  the  spirit  of  our 
modern  leaders,  as  it  breathes  and  acts  in  muUitudea  who  are 
influenced  by  it.  And  among  such  of  their  followers  as  are 
most  deficient,  even  in  their  kind  of  devotion,  w^e  may  at  least, 
perceive  a  very  devout  regard  to  the  preacher,  which  is  a 
manifest  proof  of  his  steady  attention  to  one  favourite  point. 

But  perhaps  it  will  be  inquired,  What  has  all  this  ta  do 
with  Aspasio's  account  of  faith?  We  shall  see  presently. 

Many  popular  preachers  have  considered  themselves  as  a 
kind  of  factors^  or  rather  ambassadors  for  Gk)d,  commissioned 
and  empowered  by  him  to  make  offers  of  Christ  and  all  his 
benefits  unto  men,  upon  certain  terms,  and  to  assure  them  of 
the  benefits  on  their  complying  with  the  terms.  Accordingly, 
they  have  not  been  negligent  in  setting  forth  the  dignity  of 
their  character  in  this  view,  and  they  have  plumed  themselves 
not  a  little  upon  the  offer  they  had  to  make,  making  frequent 
repetition  of  this  their  offer  \\rith  great  parade.  But  any  one 
who  reads  the  New  Testament  with  tolerable  attention,  may 
see  that  there  is  as  little  foundation  for  any  such  offer,  as  there 
is  for  bestowing  the  title  of  God's  ambassador  on  any  man 
since  the  days  of  the  apostles.  The  apostles  were  witnesses 
for  God  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  they  laid  before  men 
the  infallible  proofs,  arising  from  their  own  knowledge,  and 
from  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,,  showing  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ.  The  effect  of  this  was,  that  some  believed  and 
comforted  with  the  apostles;  and  some  disbelieved,  and  op- 
posed them.  The  apostles  then  proclaimed  a  truth  openly  in 
the  hearing  of  all  men.  And  if  it  be  still  pled  that  they  made 
offers  we  shall  very  willingly  say,  that  they  offered  evidence 
for  all  that  they  testified ;  yea,  that  they  not  only  oflfered,  but 


20  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  II. 

freely  produced  it,  let  men  make  what  use  of  it  they  would. 
They  were  witnesses  for  God  to  men,  but  they  never  bar- 
gained for  God  with  men,  however  much  some  scriptural 
metaphors  have  been  strained  to  that  purpose.  They  never 
taught  men  to  put  forth  any  act,  or  to  make  one  step  of  ad- 
vance towards  God,  on  the  prospect  that  God  would  con- 
descend and  come  down*  the  rest  of  the  infinite  distance  to 
meet  them.  This  was  neither  suitable  to  their  office,  nor  to 
the  honour  of  that  God  whose  character  they  drew.  As  to 
ordinary  teachers,  or  ministers  of  thti  gospel,  it  is  well  if  they 
be  able  to  declare  the  simple  truth,  as  contained  in  the  writings 
of  the  apostles,  and  maintain  it  in  opposition  to  every  lie  that 
men  would  endeavour  to  mix  with  it,  in  order  to  undermine 
it.  This  will  procure  honour  enough  to  them  in  the  minds 
of  those  who  love  that  truth ;  and  such  teachers  will  be  far 
from  assuming  an  air  of  importance  over  others,  as  if  they  had 
any  thing  to  oifer  to  them  more  than  the  meanest  lover  of  the 
truth  has,  who  will  be  ready,  as  occasion  requires,  to  ofler  any 
man  an  account  of  the  evidence  by  which  he  himself  is  con- 
vinced of  the  truth. 

The  preachers,  whose  honour  is  concerned  in  what  they 
call  the  gospel-offer,  commonly  take  hold  of  the  promises  of 
the  gospel,  which  it  is  easy  to  show  are  made  only  to  be- 
lievers, and  by  the  dint  of  their  authority,  whh  the  help  of  a 
little  art,  extend  them  to  all  their  hearers,  without  distinction. 
And  to  obviate  the  difficulty.  How  shall  I  know  that  the 
promise  is  to  me,  or  that  Christ  died  for  me  ?  they  address 
their  hearers  in  this  manner.  "  We  are  the  ambassadors  of 
God,  to  us  the  word  of  reconciliation  is  committed ;  we  are 
sent  and  commissioned  to  bring  Christ  near  to  sinners,  and 
sinners  near  to  Christ :  we  make  an  offer  of  Christ  and  all 
his  benefits  to  you,  and  you,  and  you ;  in  the  name  of  the 
great  God  we  declare,  that  the  promise  is  to  thee,  and  thee, 
O  man,  woman,  whosoever  thou  art ;  in  his  name  we  call 
you  this  moment  to  stretch  forth  the  withered  hand  and  the 
withered  heart,  and  take  hold  of  Christ,  saying.  He  is  mine, 
and  I  am  hisP  I  give  here  only  a  short  specimen  of  what 
is  to  be  found  at  large  interwoven  in  almost  all  their  ser- 
mons ;  and  I  am  sensible  they  would  as  soon  allow  any  ar- 
ticle of  the  Christian  doctrine  to  be  attacked,  as  sufl^er  this 
their  offer  to  be  called  in  question.  We  may  Ihid  them  busy 
moving  questions,  and  warmly  disputing  with  one  another 

*  The  rest  of  the  infinite  distance;  the  impropriety  of  this  eJtpressioQ 
must  be  laid  to  the  account  of  the  doctrine  here  opposed, 


LET.   II.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  21 

about  the  nature  and  extent  of  Christ's  death,  tryinjr  which  of 
them  shall  lay  the  most  convenient  foundation  for  their  uni- 
versal offer,  and  the  particular  application  or  appropriation 
connected  with  it;  but  this  same  offer,  so  highly  serviceable 
to  their  extravagant  pride,  is  like  to  be  one  of  the  last  things 
they  will  entertain  a  doubt  of 

These  men,  it  must  be  owned,  receive  no  small  encourage- 
ment to  their  spiritual  pride  from  their  public  standards  of 
doctrine,  affirming,  that,  "  the  Spirit  of  God  maketh  the  read- 
ing, but  especially  the  preaching  of  the  word,  an  effectual 
means — unto  salvation;"  i.  e.  God  concurs  with  the  preach- 
ing of  the  apostles,  which  can  only  be  heard  now  by  the 
reading  of  their  writings,  but  especially  with  the  preaching 
of  our  modern  ministers.  And  thus  far  I  am  disposed  to 
agree  with  their  public  standards  for  once,  that  I  frankly  ac- 
knowledge, that  their  sermons  are,  by  flir,  better  adapted  to 
the  purpose  of  setting  the  minds  of  the  people  in  motion  to  do 
something  toward  their  peace  with  God,  than  the  writings  of 
the  apostles,  which  in  this  respect,  must  appear  extremely 
insipid.  Accordingly,  I  find  our  most  popular  preachers, 
after  they  have  given  various  motives  and  directions  for 
stretching  forth  the  withered  hand,  commonly  enforcing  them 
with  this  earnest  and  pressing  call,  "Up  therefore  and  be 
doing." 

Agreeably  to  what  has  been  said,  we  find  that  the  gospt  1 
offer,  or  the  universal  offer,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called  witli 
great  propriety,  the  ministerial  offer,  has  been  admitted  as 
fixed  and  uncontroverted  style,  in  place  of  the  ancient  aposto- 
lic style,  the  record,  the  iiritncss,  or  the  testimony  of  God ; 
and  the  embracing  or  accepting  of  an  offer,  with  all  the 
formalities  and  requisites  necessary  to  constitute  a  genuine 
acceptance,  has  come  in  place  of  beliecing  the  record^  or 
crediting  the  testimony  oi  Godi. 

The  preachers  I  speak  of,  seem  to  be  sensible  of  the  diffi- 
culty there  is  in  laying  a  sure  foundation  for  every  one  of 
their  hearers  to  conclude,  that  Christ  died  for  him  ;  and  they 
suppose  that  the  same  difficulty  must  press  the  minds  of  their 
hearers,  as  is  evident  from  the  many  objections  which  they 
put  in  their  mouths,  not  easyio  be  answered:  however,  after 
they  have  laboured  the  point  suffici( ntly,  and  done  thtir  best 
to  set  the  minds  of  the  people  in  motion,  they  boldly  declare, 
by  virtue  of  all  the  titles  and  all  the  authority  with  which 
they  are  clothed,  that  they  are  bound  to  believe  this,  other- 
wise they  shall  perish  eternally.  Such  a  declaration  must 
be  of  considerable  weight  with  people  who  arc  used  to  have 


22  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Il- 

their  hearts  affected,  and  their  religious  conduct  influenced, 
more  by  the  preaching  of  their  minister,  than  by  the  words 
of  God  in  the  Scriptures. 

AsPAsio,  unadorned  with  any  religious  title  or  dignity,  is 
indeed  far  from  assuming  any  airs  of  importance;  yet  in  his 
zeal  for  the  doctrine  of  these  ministers,  or  in  the  warmth  of 
his  friendship  for  Theron,  he  seems  to  go  a  step  beyond  them 
in  asserting  upon  this  point.  He  affirms  to  Theron,  while 
yet  an  unbeliever,  or  an  opposer  of  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness, that  the  obedience  of  Christ  was  wrought  out  in  his 
name  and  in  his  stead.  So  we  find  Theron,  who  had  been 
opposing  the  imputed  righteousness  in  dial.  13,  ruminating 
on  this  assertion  of  Aspasio,  in  his  soliloquy  at  the  beginning 
of  dial.  14.  " Aspasio  urges  me  to  fly,  without  any  de- 
lay, to  the  covert  of  Christ's  meritorious  obedience.  This, 
he  says,  was  wrought  out  in  my  name  and  in  my  stead :  this 
will  be  admitted  both  at  the  throne  of  grace  and  the  bar  of 
judgment,  as  my  justifying  righteousness." 

Now,  the  abovementioned  ministers,  at  least  the  two  cele* 
brated  gentlemen  who  flourished  lately,  to  whom  we  are 
referred  for  the  fullest  account  of  Aspasio's  doctrine  about 
conversion  and  faith,  will  not  allow  this  assertion  of  Aspasio 
to  be  true  or  certain  with  respect  to  any  man  till  once  he  be- 
lieve it.  They  would  not  have  affirmed  to  Theron,  before 
he  believed,  that  Christ  died  for  him ;  but  they  would  have 
affirmed  to  him  that  it  was  his  duty  to  believe  so  ;  and  they 
would  have  strongly  encouraged  him  to  make  a  bold  ven- 
ture to  exert  an  act  of  faith  to  that  end,  assuring  him,  that  the 
truth  and  certainty  of  this  matter  would  some  how  turn  out 
clear  and  evidf  nt  in  his  believing  it.  And  thus,  I  find  some 
propriety  in  the  term  Avhich  they  have  chosen  to  express 
their  belief  by,  when  they  call  it  the  appropriating  act  of 
faith ;  that  is,  an  act  by  which  I  am  enabled  to  conclude 
that  to  be  mine,  which  could  not  appear  to  be  so  by  any  evi- 
dence, till  once  I  exerted  that  act. 

Hence,  we  see,  that,  according  to  them.  This  is  miiie,  or, 
This  was  done  for  me,  is  a  truth  whose  evidence  takes  its 
rise  from  the  pains  that  I  take  to  believe  it :  or  it  is  a  propo- 
sition which  begins  to  serve  the  name  of  truth,  when  1  begin 
to  believe  it,  and  not  till  thtn.  This,  I  must  say,  is  indeed 
a  very  strange  and  uncommon  way  of  finding  truth  :  and 
they  themselves,  acknowledge  as  much,  while  they  call  it 
"  a  mystery  which  we  cannot  comprehend  or  account  for." 

The  forfeited  assertion  of  Aspasio   to  the   unbelieving 


LET.  II.]  THKRON  AND  ASPASIO.  2^* 

Theron,  would  indeed  remove  the  difficulty,  and  afford  a 
very  intelligible  foundation  for  faith,  provided  it  were  sup- 
ported by  any  sort  of  evidence,  or  enforced  by  sufficient 
authority.  But  I  cannot  help  thinking-,  that  such  an  asser- 
tion makes  but  a  very  naked  and  defenceless  appearance, 
from  the  mouth  of  the  modest  and  untitled  Aspasio. 

I  made  a  shift  formerly,  the  best  way  I  could,  to  account 
for  Aspasio's  making  the  like  assertion  to  the  young  Euge- 
nio :  but  I  would  not  choose  to  account  for  him  in  that  man- 
ner often.  I  was,  then,  and  still  am,  very  loath  to  charge 
Aspasio  with  maintaining,  that  Christ  died  for  any  but  those 
who  shall  be  eternally  saved  by  him :  for  if  he  died  for  them 
who  perish,  then  the  happiness  of  them  who  are  saved,  must 
be  owing  to  something  else  beside  his  death.  And  then  I 
behooved  to  look  on  all  that  Aspasio  has  said  about  the  ne- 
cessity and  excellency  of  the  imputed  righteousness,  as  words 
without  meaning.  Christ,  speaking  of  himself  as  the  good 
shepherd,  says,  John  x,  /  lay  doicn  my  life  for  the  sheep. 
But  to  unbelievers  he  says,  Ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are 
7iot  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said  unto  you  My  sheep  hear  my  voice, 
and  I  know  them,  and.  they  follow  me.  And  I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish.  How  then 
can  Aspasio  say  to  any  not  hearing  Christ's  voice  and  fol- 
lowing him,  that  they  are  of  his  sheep,  for  whom  he  laid 
do\vn  his  life  ? 

If  I  look  for  an  illustration  of  Aspasio's  meaning  in  the  two 
volumes  of  Meditations,  &c.,  I  find  there*  a  way  of  speaking, 
for  which,  I  must  at  least  say,  I  find  no  foundation  in  the 
Scriptures.  That  I  may  not  be  led  away  too  far  from  my 
purpose,  1  shall  only  copy  a  sentence  or  two  from  the  note 
on  these  words.  "  The  first  Adam  being  disinherited,  the 
second  Adamf  was  appointed  heir  of  all  things,  visible  as 
well  as  invisible."     The  note  proceeds  thus : 

"  t  Hcb.  i.  2.  In  this  sense,  at  least,  Christ  is  the  Saviour 
of  all  men.  The  former  and  latter  rain;  the  precious  fruits 
of  the  earth  ;  food  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on ;  all  these  he 
purchased,  even  for  his  irreclaimable  enemies. — The  Chris- 
tian should  ever  keep  in  mind  his  forfeiture  of  them,  and  the 
price  paid  to  redeem  them." 

This  way  of  speaking,  savours  much  of  the  Jewish  appre- 
hensions about  their  Messiah.  And,  since  the  corruption  of 
Christianity  has  taken  place,  the  bulk  of  its  professors  have 

*  Vol.  I.  pp.  146,  147,  9th  edition,  1752. 


24  LETTERS   ON  [LET.   IX 

been  ready  to  acknowledge  a  Messiah  assisting  them  in  the 
recovery  of  their  righteousness,  and  removing,  more  or  less, 
their  forfeiture  of  earthly  happiness.  But  all  this  is  quite 
foreign  to  the  gospel;  which  shows,  that  Christ's  people 
suifej  the  panishment  of  Adam's  sin,  as  well  as  other  men : 
yea,  it  sets  forth  the  certainty  of  their  hope,  hy  this  argument, 
'J'hat  they  shall  as  effectually  partake  of  the  reward  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  as  they  suffer  the  penalty  of  Adam's 
transgression.  Compare  what  is  said,  Rom.  v.  with  1  Cor. 
XV.  22.  We  had  best  take  care,  then,  how  we  weaken  the 
latter  point,  lest  we  undermine  the  former ;  lest,  seeking  to 
open  a  window  to  let  in  more  light  upon  the  life  that  now  is, 
\v.e  darken  the  prospect  of  that  which  is  to  £ome.  And  if 
w-e  look  to  the  matter  of  fact,  we  shall  find  the  apostles  them- 
selves, who,  we  are  sure,  were  the  favourites  cf  heaven, 
acknowledging  that,  take  away  the  life  to  come,  ihc  balance, 
in  point  of  happiness,  lay  much  in  favour  of  unbelievers  ;  as 
is  evident  from  the  chapter  last  referred  to,  and  from  the 
whole  of  the  New  Testament 

The  first  Christiaais  were  distinguished  from  other  men, 
not  by  any  greater  share  «f  earthly  comforts,  as  must  have 
been  the  case  if  their  peculiar  Redeemer,  who  says,  I  j^raT/ 
for  them,  I  pra,y  not  for  the  world,  had  removed  the  forfeit- 
ure of  them;  but  in  their  patiently  submitting  to  that  forfeit- 
ure, taking  up  their  cross  daily,  and  following  Christ  unto 
death,  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life  from  the  dead  ;  life  of  quite 
a. different  nature  from  that  which  was  forfeited:  whereas, 
other  men,  conceited  of  their  own  worth,  are  always  showing 
their  dissatisfaction  with  the  forfeiture,  and  struggling  against 
at,  accordingly  as  they  are  impelled  by  their  ambition,  ava- 
rice, or  other  worldly  lusts ;  and,  consequently,  must  be  dis- 
-affected  to  the  gospel,  which  affirms  the  forfeiture,  and  makes 
it  to  be  more  especially  felt  and  experienced  by  them  who 
believe  and  obey  it. 

This  topic  calls  to  mind  a  remark  I  lately  heard  made  by 
some  of  your  readers  on  the  general  air  of  your  writings. 
That  you  seemed  desirous  to  have  Christianity  make  a  re- 
spectable appearance  in  high  life.  They  seemed  to  be  of  the 
mind,  that  Jesus  Christ  would  not  have  vied  with  you  as  to  the 
elegant  figure  of  the  personages  to  be  pitched  upon  for  a  spe- 
cimen of  his  kingdom  and  subjects,  considering  what  a  strange 
contrast  he  once  drew,  in  a  parable  recorded  by  JLuke,  chap, 
xvi.  19.  The  chief  design  of  which  seems  to  be,  as  hinted,  v. 
15,  to  give  a  standing  portrait  of  what  is  most  sightly  in  the 
'Cjes  of  God,  and  what  is  so  in  the  eyes  of  men. 


LET.  II.]  THF.RON   AND  ASPASIO.  25 

But  the  first  words  of  the  note,  "  In  this  sense,  at  least, 
Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  all  menj^  deserve  my  attention  most 
at  present,  as  they  take  hold  of  a  text  of  Scripture,  and  as  they 
indicate  some  bias  toward  the  sentiments  of  those,  who,  seekinjr 
to  extend  Christ's  redemption  beyond  the  limits  fixed  in  Scrip- 
ture, do  most  effectually  exclude  all  men  from  the  benefit  of 
it.     Perhaps  no  words  in  the  Bible  have  been  oftener  punned 
upon  than  these,  the  Saviour  of  all  men.     It  will  be  proper, 
therefore,  to  quote  the  whole  verse  :    1  Tim.  iv.  10.    For  there- 
fore we  both  labour,  ami  suffer  reproach,  because  loe  trust  hi 
the  living  God,  icho  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  speci&lly  of 
those  that  believe.     If  our  translators  had  been  as  careful  here 
to  prevent  puniiinof,  as  they  have  been  in  many  other  places, 
this  plain  text  had  perhaps  never  been  the  subject  of  any  dispute. 
1  shall  only  produce,  out  of  many,  one  instance  of  their  caution 
irom  the  Old  Testament,  and  another  from  the  New.     In  Psal. 
xxxvi.  6,  they  say,  O  Lord,  thoupreservest  man  and  beast;  in- 
stead of  saying,  thou  shall  save  man  and  beast.     In  Acts  iv. 
9,  they  render  the  words  of  Peter  thus  :  if  we  this  day  be  ex- 
amined of  the  good  deed  done  to  the  impotent  man,  by  lohat 
means  he  is  made  whole  ;  instead  of  saying,  by  what  means  he 
is  saved.     Had  they  showed  the  same  caution  about  the  text 
in  question,  we  shcxild  have  had  this  plain  truth  before  our 
eyes,  that  the  Jiving  God  is  the  preserver  of  all  men,  especially 
ofthose  that  believe ;  that  he  who  giveth-to  all  life  and  breath, 
and  all  things,  has  a  peculiar  care  about  those  2vho  were  re- 
deemed from  among  men.     And  whatever  way  this  peculiar 
care  about  them  was  exercised,  one  thing  is  evident,  even  from 
the  very  text  in  question,  that  it  did  no  issue  in  making  their 
lives  less  subject  to  pain  and  trouble  than  those  of  other  men. 
One  thing  remarkable  as  to  this  text  is,  the  great  inclina- 
tion which  many  w^ho  have  occasion  to  point  at  it,  show,  to 
present  us  with  a  different  form  of  expression  from  that  used 
by  the  Apostle  :  some  choosing  rather  to  use  the  .name  descrip- 
tive of  the  Son  of  God,  as  redeeming  from  the  curse,  saying, 
"  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men;"  others  in  the  same  view, 
"  God  in  Christ  is  the    Saviour,"  (fcc.     What  is  the  reason 
of  all  this  shyness  and  aversion  to  speak  as  the  Apostle  does? 
Is  there  any  obscurity  in  his  words  '1  or  have  they  any  pur- 
pose in  view  which  his  words  will  not  so  conveniently  answer  ? 
Are  they  afraid,  lest  any  Christian  will  dream,  that  there  is 
any  other  God  but  he  who  is  made  manifest  in  Christ  ?  Or  are 
they  afraid  lest  any  Christian  will  scruple  t0  5ay,that  whatso- 
ever things  the  Father  doth,  these  also  doth  the  Son  likewise  ? 
or  does  it  not  rather  proceed  from  an  inclination  to  give  us 
3 


JJ0  LETTERS  ON  [LKT.  II, 

some  other  view  of  the  redemption  which  is  by  Christ,  than 
the  Scripture  gives  l 

Let  us  make  a  trial  of  their  method  of  commenting  here,  on 
other  parallel  passages  of  Scripture,  and  see  where  it  will  carry 
us.  Having  only  premised  this  much,  which  every  Christian 
will  own,  viz.  that  that  Divine  person,  who  in  due  time  was 
found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  and  who  was  called  Christ,  or  the 
Anointed,  on  account  of  his  being  anointed  of  God  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  attend  him  in  fullilling  all  righteousness,  and 
redeeming  from  the  curse  ;  and  on  account  of  his  being  again 
anointed  with  that  same  Spirit  as  the  oil  of  joy  and  gladness,  in 
testimony  of  his  having  completed  his  work ;  that  that  Divine 
person,  I  say  made  the  world,  and  could  with  the  greatest  pro- 
priety say,  as  to  all  divine  works,  from  the  creation  downward, 
My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work. 

In  making  the  trial,  I  shall  go  no  further  than  to  a  passage 
I  lately  glanced  at.  Acts  xvii.  24,  25.  Here  I  shall  only  vary 
the  first  word,  and,  instead  of  God,  say,  Christ  that  made  the 

world,  and  all  things  thereiyi giveih  to  all  life,  and  breath, 

and  all  things.  Now,  I  freely  declare,  that  my  real  purpose 
and  intention,  in  this  deviation  from  the  words  of  the  text,  is  to 
introduce  the  consideration  of  the  Son  of  God  as  doing  what 
he  does,  and  giving  what  he  gives,  as  the  Redeemer  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  mentioned  Gal.  iii.  10,  and  in  virtue  of  the 
price  of  redemption  which  he  paid.  Having  thus  modelled 
my  text,  I  proceed  to  deduce  a  few  plain  inferences.  1 .  Hence 
it  is  manifest,  that  all  men,  at  least,  are  as  much  indebted  to 
the  Redeemer  for  their  life  and  breath,  as  for  all  other  things 
which  they  enjoy.  2.  If,  then,  the  enjoyments  of  all  men  are 
redeemed  by  a  price,  so  are  their  lives.  3.  Suppose  enjoy- 
ments only  are  redeemed,  yet  the  having  of  children  has 
always  been  considered  as  none  of  the  least  of  these ;  therefore 
all  men  are  redeemed,  as  having  been  once  granted  as  children 
to  their  parents,  the  first  pair  only  excepted.  It  is  easy  to  see 
what  a  wide  field  is  opened  for  imagination  here  :  and  how 
much  wider  it  would  be,  if  I  should  proceed  to  consider  what 
would  follow  from  saying,  in  the  same  view,  Christ  made  the 
world,  and  all  things  therein ;  and,  In  Christ  we  live,  move, 
and  have  our  being,  &c. — But  I  forbear. 


"es' 


In  speaking  of  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  we  had 
need  to  keep  clear  of  all  human  systems,  and  hold  close  by 
the  Scriptures.  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  price  of  redemption, 
which  he  paid,  delivers  his  people  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
and  he  entitles  them  to  aa  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefiled, 


LET.  il]  theron  ani>  aspasio.  27 

and  which  fadeth  not  away :  all  the  pains  from  which  he  de- 
livers are  eternal,  and  so  are  all  the  blessings  he  procures  ; 
every  thing  which  takes  place,  by  virtue  of  his  redemption, 
is  eternal ;  as  he  redeems  not  by  corruptible  things,  when  he 
redeems  by  laying  down  his  own  precious  life,  so  nothing  re- 
stored by  his  redemption  can  ever  be  subject  to  corruption. 
He  is  indeed  appointed  heir  of  all  things,  and  the  divine  ap- 
pointment hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet;  but  now  we  see 
not  yet  all  things  put  under  him.  He  is  Lord  of  lords,  and 
King  of  kings;  but  at  present  he  rules  in  the  midst  of  his 
enemies,  until  they  be  made  his  footstool.  His  people  are 
comforted  in  the  midst  of  their  sufferings  by  the  hope  of  what 
they  see  not,  waiting  for  the  redemption  of  their  bodies,  at  the 
resurrection,  and  for  the  restitution  of  all  things,  or  the  delive- 
rance of  the  whole  creation,  from  the  bondage  of  corruption, 
into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  I  content 
myself  at  present  with  glancing  at  a  few  passages  of  Scripture 
on  this  subject,  as  I  go  along ;  a  more  particular  notice  of 
them  would  lead  me  too  far  off  from  my  plea  with  Aspasio. 

Some  who  espouse  the  doctrine  of  the  two  gentlemen 
above  pointed  at,  as  warmly  as  Aspasio,  finding  some  diffi- 
culty in  pressing  men  to  believe,  what  cannot  be  called  true 
before  it  be  believed,  have  fallen  upon  an  expedient  to  ease 
themselves,  not  unlike  what  is  asserted  in  the  note  we  have 
been  considering.  They  maintain,  "That  Christ  satisfied 
so  for  the  sins  of  all  men,  as  to  procure  many  temporary 
benefits  to  them,  and  so  as  ministers  might  have  sufficient 
ground  to  call  every  man  to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  him." 
And  to  show  what  absurdities  would  follow  upon  the  denying 
of  this,  they  say,  "  But  now,  if  Christ,  in  no  sense  died  for 
any  but  the  elect,  how  are  these  glad  tidings  to  every  crea- 
ture ?  How  shall  this  good  news,  this  great  salvation,  be 
offered  unto  them  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  if  he  in 
no  sense  satisfied  for  them  ?"  Hereupon  I  shall  only  ob- 
serve, that  it  must  be  extremely  difficult  for  any  who  main- 
tain the  appropriation  in  question,  to  maintain  at  the  same 
time,  the  account  which  Christ  himself  gives  of  his  death, 
and  peculiar  connection  with  his  people  therein. 

This  observation  is  confirmed  to  me,  when  I  look  into  the 
sentiments  of  the  adversaries  of  the  above-mentioned  expedient, 
who  are  as  zealous  for  the  ministerial  offer  and  the  appropri- 
ation, as  their  opponents.  I  find  them,  indeed,  maintaining 
strongly,  that  in  no  sense  Christ  died  for  any  but  the  elect ; 
and  yet  at  the  same  time  affirming,  as  Aspasio's  two  friends 
have  taught  them,  that  Christ,  by  his  taking  on  the  human 


28  LETTERS  OX  [LET.   II 

nature^ Stands  reiiated  to  the  whole  human  race  ;  yea,  roundly 
asserting,  that  he  "dsoth  stand  in  an  equal  or  undistijigidshed 
relation  of  a  Kinsman-RedecDier  to  mankind-sinners,  as  such ;" 
not  considering-  what  inference  necessarily  follows,  viz.  That 
he  died  for  the  eternal  salvation  of  ail  with  whom  he  partook 
in  flesh  and  blood  ;  not  minding  that  the  Scripture  says  only, 
"  H.e  partook  in  flesh  and  blood  with  the  childrt  n  whom 
God  gave  him,  even  the  many  sons  whom  he  brings  into 
glory,"  Heb.  ii.  For  it  nowhere  says,  that  he  partook  in 
flesh  and  blood  with  any  Avho  shall  perish.  Now,  in  order 
to  get  over  the  knotty  point  of  the  appropriation,  these  men 
go  to  work  thus :  Speaking  of  "  a  person's  special  saving- 
interest  in  Christ  and  his  death, — as  being  actually  invested 
with  his  justifying  righteousness,  and  accepted  in  the  sight 
of  God  on  that  account ;"  they  add,  "  which  never  becomes 
trite  inj^the  case  of  any,  till  the  moment  of  believing ;  for 
though  a  person  has  sufficient  grounds  in  the  word  of  grace, 
whereupon  to  believe  this  particular  interest  in  Christ  and 
his  death, — and  though  it  is  never  true  in  the  person's  case 
till,  the  time  of  his  believing  ;  yet,  this  doth  not  make  the  act 
ishe-  ca>use  of  its  object :  only,  according  to  the  mysterious  or- 
der of  grace,  the  Lord  gives  truth  to  that  saving  interest,  ai 
the  tir/ie  of  faith's  applying  Christ  to  the  soul."* 

But  to  return  to  Aspasio ;  I  have  said  already,  and  still 
say,  I  am  loath  to  charge  him  with  flatl}'- opposing  the  scrip- 
tural account  of  Christ's  death;  I  am  rather  disposed  to 
t^ink,  that  his  views  of  this  matter  are  somewhat  unsettled 
and  indistinct,  vxhich  might  occasion  his  expressing  himself 
inaccurately  at  times,  and  who  can  guard  himself  against  in- 
consistencies at  all  times  ?  1  presume,  be  would  not  venture 
broadly  to  contradict  the  account  which  Christ  himself  gives 
of  his  own  death;  and  I  am  encouraged  to  think  so,  by  his 
commonly  connecting  the  death  of  Christ  with  eternal  salva- 
tion, so  as  it  should  mean  the  same  thing  to  say,  Christ  died 
for  any  person,  and.  That  person  shall  be  eternally  saved:  1 
will,  therefore,  consider  this  as  a  fixed  point  ia  the  proeedure 
of  my  controversy  with  Aspasio.     And  agreeably  to  this» 

I  find,  notwithstanding  Aspasio' s  assertion  to  the  unbeliev- 
ing Theron,.  that  Christ  died  for  him,,  that  Theron  is  at  a 
great  loss  to  find  any  evidence  to  support  that  assertion,  and 
therefore,  must  be  prompted  to  try  what  he  can  feel  about 
himself  in  support  of  it.     He  is  obliged  to  take  all  the  pains. 


*  See  preface  to  a  late  edition  of  Dr.  Owen's^Death  of  death,  in  the 
death  of  Christ,     Edinburgh,  1775. 


LET.   II.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  2^ 

and  go  through  the  whole  course  commonly  enjoined,  in  or- 
der to  turn  that  assertion  into  truth  ;  and,  after  all  his  labour, 
though  rery  willing  and  very  desirous  to  find  it  true,  he  seems 
to  be  at  a  loss  how  to  make  it  out.  Had  an  apostle  laid  before 
Theron  the  divine  truth,  with  all  its  evidence,  he  would  have 
been  far  from  pardoning  him,  or  sympathizing  with  him  in 
his  incredulity,  or  hesitating  about  it.  He  would  have 
treated  him  with  the  language  commonly  addressed  to  unbe- 
lievers in  the  New  Testament.  But  Aspasio  certainly  acts 
a  very  humane  part,  in  sympathizing  with  his  friend,  in  the 
difficulty  he  finds  to  believe  a  proposition,  whose  truth  or 
certainty  must  be  made  out  by  the  pains  taking  to  believe  it. 

I  AM  sensible,  all  the  while,  that  neither  the  authority  of  the 
preacher,  nor  the  pains  taken  by  the  hearer,  are  sufficient  to 
perfect  the  appropriating  act  of  faith  ;  some  further  aid  is 
necessary,  and  this  is  said  to  be  the  powerful  and  efficacious 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Accordingly,  we  find  Aspasio's 
two  friends,  supposing  the  hearer  to  have  essayed  and  attempt- 
ed often  to  perform  his  act ;  and  yet  still  to  be  complaining,  that 
he  is  as  fir  from  making  it  out  as  at  the  first.  However,  they 
encourage  him  to  persevere  steadfastly  in  repeating  his  essays 
and  attempts,  comforting  him  with  many  promises  which  they 
adduce  to  that  purpose,  that  if  he  do  what  he  can,  the  Spirit  will 
help  him,  or  do  for  him  what  he  cannot.  They  are  sensible, 
that  the  bare  word  of  Scripture  is  not  sufficient  to  support  the 
conclusion  necessary  to  be  drawn  ;  so  they  make  this  one  of 
their  great  mysteries,  "  How  the  Spirit  of  God  turns  the  word 
of  Scripture,  though  in  itself  but  a  dead  letter,  into  a  livmg 
principle."  Aspasio  maintains,  that  none  have  the  proper 
Scriptural  faith,  but  those  who  are  taught  by  the  enlightening 
Spirit  to  draw  that  conclusion.  But  I  must  have  recourse  to 
his  friends  for  a  proper  view  of  the  agency  of  this  Spirit  in  the 
matter. 

They  maintain,  that  reprobates  have  as  fair  a  revealed 
warrant  to  draw  the  conclusion  as  the  elect  have.  But  here 
lies  the  difference :  The  Spirit  opens  up  the  revealed  warrant, 
which  bears  a  general  aspect  toward  all  men,  in  a  particular 
manner  to  the  elect,  so  as  to  enable  every  one  of  them  to  say 
Christ  loved  me.  They  attempt,  indeed,  sometimes  to  explain 
the  matter  by  such  logic  as  this  :  Christ  came  to  save  sinners, 
I  am  a  sinner ;  therefore  Christ  came  to  save  me.  But  they 
are  soon  sensible  of  the  deficiency  of  this  reasoning  and  resort 
to  what  they  call  mystery,  or  what  cannot  be  accounted  for. 
3* 


30  LETT.BKS  ON  [LET.   II. 

Here  they  introduce  the  Spirit,  and   resolve  all  difficulties  by 
his  mysterious  working. 

We  are  not,  then,  to  be  surprised  at  finding;  their  way  of  speak- 
ino-  on  this  subject  somewhat  perplexed,  and  more  profound< 
than  can  be  accounted  for  ;  while  they  tell  us  almost  with  the 
same  breath,  that  we  are  first  to  exert  our  natural  power,  and 
do  our  utmost,  in  the  prospect  that  the  Spirit  wilLcome  at  last 
and  help  us  out ;  and  yet,  tliat  all  this  exertion  of  our  natural 
powers,  is  the  effect  of  the  Spirit's  work  upon  us.  Neverthe- 
less the  same  men  are  often  pleased  to  say,  that  nature  beorjns 
the  work,  and  then  grace  seasonably  interposes  to  help  out 
the  well-meant,  but  feeble  efforts- of  nature. 

However,  then,  the  matter  be  brought  about,  one  thing  is 
plain,  that  the  mysterious^  work  ascribed  by  the  Spirit,  issues 
in  this,  to  turn  the  dead  letter  of  the  Scripture  into  a  living' 
principle,  and  to  persuade  a  man,  though  he  be  not  mentioned 
in  the  Scripture,  either  by  name  or  surname,  that  Christ  died 
for  him.     And  it  is  no  less  plain,  that  if  this  assisting  spirit 
be  the  Spirit  who  speaks  in  the  Scriptures,  he  must,  in  this 
case,  whisper  something  privately  to  the  ear  or  the  heart  of 
the  sinner,  beside  what  he  publicly  speaks  in  the  Scriptures. 
But  will  any  lover  of  the  Scriptures  allow  the  possibility 
of  this  ?     Will  he  allow,  that  the  Spirit^  who  breathes  in  the 
Scriptures,  ever  speaks  a  word  or  syllable  to  any  man,  beside 
what  he  publicly  spealis  there  ?     Or  will  he  bear  to  hear  the 
living  and  powerful  word  of  God»  on  any  pretence,  or  under 
colour  of  any  distinction  whatsoever,  called  a  dead  letter  ? 
No  !   he  will  abhor  the  thought ;  and,  without  being  over- 
awed by  the  weight  of  any  man's  character,  he  will  be  read}'- 
to  say,  "  Let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar."     But  I 
forbear  to  enlarge  on.  this  at  present.     And  I  presume,  that, 
with  all  freedom,  I  may  call,  whatever  spirit  speaks  or  sug- 
gests any  thing  not  already  publicly  spoken  in  the  Scriptures, 
a  private  spirit ;  even  as  the  Apostle  Peter  teaches  us  to 
call  every  gloss  on  tbe  Old'  Testament  Scriptures,  not  sup- 
ported by  the  public  interpretation  of  tliem  iiii  the  New,  a 
private  interpretation. 

It  would  require  a  large  letter  by  itself  to  describe  the 
spirit  of  the  popular  doctrine  ;  and  if  any  one  who  has-already 
gained  the  ear  of  the  people,  should,  in  consequence  of  full 
conviction  of  the  many  deceits  of  that  doctrine,  lay  them 
plainly  open  by  evidence  from  the  Scriptures,  it  might,  per- 
haps, prove  the  means  of  gaining  some  few  from  the  error  of 
their  way.  And  it  would  be  foolish  to.  expect  more.  For 
the  course  of  the  world  will  contfnue  \^  same  while  the 


LKT.   II. ]i  THEUON   AND  ASPASIO.  31 

Avorld  lasts;  and  populai"  preachers  will  always  be  attended" 
to  by  the  body  of  the  people.  The  author  of  Christianity 
assures  his  discipk^s,  that  his  religion  will  be  hated  by  all 
nations  to  the  enJd;  and  he  cautions  them  against  marvelling 
at  this.  A  Christian,  then,  o-uglit  not  to  envy  those  preachers 
the  attention  paid*  to  them,  though  he  will  find  it  his  duty  to 
maintiiin  the  despised  truth,  in  opposition  to  all  their  artificesv 

I  MIGHT  now  consider  how  the  authority  of  the  min- 
ister, THE  pains  taken  BY  THE  HEARER,  and  the  WHIS- 
PER OF  TH'E  PRIVATE  s^P'iRFr,  concur  to  pcrsuadc  the  hearer,, 
that  he  is  a  favourite  of  Heaven,  or  that  Christ  died  for 
him.  But  to  have  a  proper  notion  of  this,  one  would  need  to^ 
have  a  whole  sermon  or  two  in  his  view  at  once. 

ft  may  suffice,  at  present,  to  observe,  that  the  preacher 
having  largely  insisted  on  tjhe  progress  of  a  gemiine  con{\'-er- 
sion,  and  the  various  actings  of  faith;  and  possessed  the  mind 
of  the  hearer  with  a  high  notion  of  the  arduous  task  that  must 
be  performed,  and  with  a  view  of  the  blessings  which  attend 
his  right  performance,  as  well  as  the  miseries  that  must 
attend  his  feikire ;  the  mind  of  the  hearer  is,  by  this  time,, 
supposed  to  be  in  some  commotion,  and  to  be  very  anxious 
to  do  somrething,  or  exert  some  act,  in  compliance  with  the 
pressing  call  of  the  preacher.  But  while  his  t-houghts^  are 
thus  busied,  various  difficulties  occur  to  him,  how  he  shall 
accomplish  so  great  a  work. 

The  skilful  preacher  knowing,  that  when  matters  are  once 
brought  thus  far,  the  work  is  half  djone,  now  exerts  himself 
for  the  relief  of  the  hearer,  who  now  begins  to  be  considered 
as  an  excrcissd  sml ;  and  he  i>  noAV  as  careful  to  lower  the 
terms:  and'  abate  the  demands  on  the  hearer,  as  he  was  before 
to  heighten  them.  "  A  single  essay  will  now  do  the  busi- 
ness. The  Spirit  is  just  at  hand  to  second  and  perfect  it. 
For  although  the  act  be  at  the  beginning  but  aatural,  yet  in 
the  very  acting,  promised  and  purchased  grace  strikes  in, 
and  turns  it  into  a  supernatural  act."  And  to  enforce  this,  the 
preacher,  in  the  height  of  his  warmth,  will  sometimes  take 
upon  himself  boldly  to  falsify  the  pliainiest  fbcts  recorded  in 
the  gospel ;  for  instance,  saying,  "  Do  as  tke  man  with  the 
withered  hand  did ;  the  poor  man  minted',  or  attempted  to 
obey^  and  in  the  attempt  of  obedience,  he  got  power  to  stretch 
out  his  hand  as  he  was  commanded.  We  must  be  essaying 
before  w^e  find  the  Spirit  working  effectually  in  us." 

NoWv  youi  know  he  might  with  equal  justice  add,  do  as 
Lazarus   did.     In   obedience   to.  the   calli    Como  forth,  he 


32  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   II. 

attempted  to  rise  :  but  happening  to  be  dead,  he  was  not  able 
fully  to  rise  up  and  come  forth,  till  he  got  more  power  than 
his  own.  Now  the  preacher  makes  the  utmost  use  of  his 
authority;  and  as  he  rises  in  dignity,  he  stoops  in  conde- 
scension, and  encourages  the  devout  hearer  to  cheapen  his 
offer  still  lower  and  lower,  till  he  come  as  low  as  can  well 
be  imagined,  even  to  what  is  the  very  next  to  nothing.  "  You 
can  complain  that  you  are  dead,  that  you  have  not  the  least 
spark  of  spiritual  life  in  you:  if  you  be  but  groaning  under  a 
sense  of  your  deadness,  it  is  a  sign  of  some  life ;  for  the  dead 
use  not  to  tell  such  tales  of  themselves.  You  say  you  want 
power.  Do  not  say  so ;  for  all  the  power  of  Heaven  is 
ready  for  your  use,  and  ready  to  do  all,  only  put  to  thy  hand. 
Though  you  want  power,  have  you  but  the  will  ?  Christ 
will  accept  the  will  for  the  deed.  It  is  true,  you  cannot 
come;  are  you  willing  then  to  be  drawn? — You  complain 
you  want  the  will  too. — Perhaps  your  will  is  only  impotent. 
it  is  well  if  it  be  not  obstinate. — Are  you  willing  then  to 
have  your  will  bended  ?  There  are  promises  at  hand  to  make 
you  willing. — Well,  then,  put  your  unwilling  will  into 
Christ's  hand,  and  leave  him  to  do  all ; — and  the  work  is 
done." 

The  devout  hearer,  by  this  time,  finding  some  motion  in 
his  heart,  corresponding,  in  some  measure,  with  one  or  other 
of  the  terms  proposed  by  the  preacher,  begins  to  hear  some 
spirit  secretly  whispering  to  him,  that  his  state  and  condition 
is  changed  ;  that  he  is  now  removed  from  a  state  of  nature  to 
a  state  of  grace :  in  short,  that  he  is  a  gracious  person. 

Now  the  preacher,  well  knowing  the  common  effects  of 
his  doctrine,  and  the  spirit  which  attends  it,  exerts  himself 
with  all  boldness  and  freedom  of  speech,  to  second  and  en- 
force the  secret  whisper  of  the  private  spirit,  which  the  devout 
hearer  entertains  at  first  with  some  degree  of  timidity  and  he- 
sitation :  "  Why,  then,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  the  good  work  is 
begun  in  you,  which  will  be  perfected  at  last.  You  have 
been  favoured  with  the  heavenly  visit.  Many  perplexities 
may  befal  you  afterward:  but  one  such  visit  secures  your 
state  for  ever.  Be  thankful  to  him  who  hath  made  such  a 
difference  betwixt  you  and  others ;  and  when  you  behold  the 
sins  of  others,  from  which  you  are  restrained,  let  it  be  matter 
of  joy  to  you,  lohen  you  are  helped  to  say  thankfully,  what  the 
Pharisee  said  boastingly,  '  The  Lord  be  thanked  that  1  am 
not  as  other  men.^  You  may  indeed  fall  into  many  sad  mis- 
carriages, failings,  and  shortcomings ;  but  your  faults  shall 
never  properly  deserve  the  name  of  damnable  sins,  or  sins 


LET.   ll]  THERON  AND  A8PA310.  33 

exposino:  you  to  the  curse  of  God's  law,  and  the  fear  of  his 
wrath.  Such  a  fear  would  be  unsuitable  to  your  state,  aiid 
behooved  to  proceed  upon  an  allowed  act  of  unbelief,  calling 
it  in  question,  if  God  be  your  God,  and  ye  his  children.  This 
would  be  razing  the  foundations.  Therefore  such  fear,  as 
being  unsuitable  to  the  grace  we  have,  cannot  enter  into  the 
notion  of  the  reverence  and  godly  fear  whereby  we  serve 
God  acceptably;  for  not  our  God  in  Christ,  but  a  God  out  of 
Christ  is  a  consuming  fire  to  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  ;  that 
is,  to  those  who  are  not  like  us  converted,  and  brought  into  a 
state  of  grace."      See  the  two  last  verses  of  Heb.  xii. 

But  to  have  a  more  full  view  of  the  above-mentioned  con- 
currence, it  must  be  noticed,  that  the  chief  season,  or  day  of 
power,  or  time  of  the  agency  of,  what  I  call  the  'private,  spirit, 
is  while  the  preachers  are  declaiming  with  greatest  fervour. 
If  Christ  be  compared  to  a  frait-tree,  now  is  the  time  of  the 
shaking  of  the  tree  and  the  distribution  of  the  fruit;  if  to 
Noah's  ark,  the  preachers  open  the  doors  and  usher  in  the 
people ;  if  to  a  dove-cote,  and  the  people  to  doves,  the 
preachers  open  the  windows.  If  the  communication  of 
the  divine  love  be  spoken  of,  the  preachers  are  the 
earthen  vessels  into  which  it  is  poured,  in  order  to  be 
conveyed  to  the  people.  In  short,  they  are  commissioned 
to  bring  Christ  near  to  sinners,  and  sinners  near  to  Christ. 
So  that  if  they  are  so  modest  as  to  decline  the  title,  they 
effectually  assume  the  character  and  Avork  of  mediators  be- 
twixt God  and  the  people.  The  title  of  ambassadois  is  that 
which  they  use  the  greatest  freedom  with,  and  they  no  doubt 
reckon  that  they  put  considerable  honour  upon  Christ,  while 
they  call  him  God's  amrassador  extraordinary. 

It  musi  likewise  be  noticed,  that  the  popular  doctrine  is  so 
contrived,  as  to  keep  the  people  in  constant  dependance  on 
the  preachers,  for  their  comfort,  and  in  continual  expectation 
of  the  season  of  power  in  giving  heed  to  them.  In  allusion 
to  the  impotent  man,  who,  indeed,  according  to  the  sacred 
text,  laboured  under  an  infirmity  for  thirty-eight  years,  and 
who,  according  to  their  imagination,  lay  so  long  at  the  pool; 
some  exercised  souls  may  be  occupied  so  many  years  in 
fruitless  essays  and  attempts.  However,  the  preacher  era- 
courages  them  to  wait  and  persist  in  their  attempts,  assuring 
them  of  success  at  last :  and  for  their  comfort  in  the  mean- 
time,, he  will  not  scrunle  to  pei'vert  thp  Scrint"-'  -,  in  order  to 
pronounce  them  all  blessed  who  are  thus  waiting.  Again. 
in  like  manner,  in  allusion  to  Jacob,  they  who  have  been 
favoured  with  the  season  of  power,  and  have  enjoyed  the 
wished-for  visit,  may  remain  unvisited  for  twenty  years,  be- 


34  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   It 

twixt  one  Bethel-visit  and  another,  or  perhaps  all  their  life- 
time. However,  though  it  be  still  held  true,  that  one  visit 
secures  their  state  forever,  they  are  not  to  content  themselves 
with  a  refiex  act ;  that  is,  with  the  remembrance  of  their 
first  visit,  and  its  attendant  impressions  ;  but  they  must  be  still 
endeavouring-  to  obtain  a  new  visit,  by  attempting  again  to 
put  forth,  as  at  the  first,  what  they  call  a  direct  act  of  faith. 
In  short,  the  frequent  repetition  of  these  attempts,  or  the  strain- 
ing hard  to  obtain  some  motion,  or  feel  some  impression  on 
their  hearts,  is  the  great  thing  in  religion,  that  first  and  la"st 
must  employ  the  most  serious  moments  of  their  lives.  And 
herein  it  is  imagined,  the  exercise  of  godliness  consists.  And 
however  much  the  people  may  be  thus  kept  in  bondage  for 
lifetime,  groaning  after  some  inward  feeling  or  impression, 
vet  both  the  unconverted,  and  those  said  to  be  in  a  converted 
state,  provided  they  attend  on  the  preacher,  and  continue 
waiting  and  essaying,  are  encouraged  to  consider  themselves 
as  in  a  blessed  state ;  as  being  distinguished  from  the  ungodly 
and  profane,  under  the  character  of  serious  exercised  souls. 

Any  one  who  has  heard  the  preachers  I  have  been  speak- 
ing of,  or  read  their  printed  sermons,  may  easily  see,  that  the 
short  sketch  I  have  given  of  their  doctrine,  might  be  support- 
ed by  numerous  quotations ;  and  that  I  have  even  retained 
their  principal  phrases  as  nearly  as  the  gravity  of  the  subject, 
and  the  shortness  of  this  abstract,  would  allow.  I  know 
their  doctrine  appears  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  many  who  aim 
at  much  the  same  end  with  them  at  bottom,  but  who  think  to 
gain  it  by  a  shorter  and  easier  course ;  yea,  they  are  laughed 
at  by  many  who,  at  the  same  time,  laugh  at  Christianity.  This 
is  what  I  can  easily  account  for.  But  that  any  one  who  has 
learned  his  religion  from  the  New  Testament,  should  mistake 
their  octrine  for  the  Christian,  is  indeed  astonishing!  If  we 
should  be  so  easily  imposed  upon,  how  could  we  rank  with 
those  whom  the  Apostle  John  once  addressed  in  this  manner, 
I  have  not  written  unto  you,  because  ye  know  not  the  truth; 
but  because  ye  know  it,  and  that  no  lie  is  of  the  truth  ? — But  it 
would  require  a  treatise  by  itself,  to  lay  open  the  many  deceits 
by  which  these  men  change  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie. 

I  might  now  consider,  how  the  doctrine  which  thus  teacht  s 
men  to  look  on  themselves  as  the  favourites  of  Heaven,  is 
subservient  to  several  purposes,  extremely  foreign  to  the  design 
of  the  gospel.  But  this  may  partly  appear  from  what  has 
been  said,  and  may  occasionally  appear  more  fully  as  we  go 
along  ;  a  particular  consideration  of  this  would  open  too  large 
a  field  for  me  at  present.     I  behooved  to  notice,  first,  the  design 


LET.   Ill]  THEUON  AND    ASPASIO.  35 

and  tendency  of  the  gospel,  as  illustrated  by  the  real  effects  it 
had  on  them  who  first  believed  it;  and  then  show  how  diffe- 
rent these  effects  were  from  those  commonly  produced  on  the 
minds  of  the  people,  by  the  doctrine  of  the  most  zealous  popu- 
lar preachers. — Yea,  I  behooved  to  notice  the  diff('rence  be- 
tween the  God  of  these  last,  and  the  God  whose  character  is 
drawn  in  the  New  Testament: — betwixt  their  Christ  and  the 
Christ  preached  by  the  apostles ; — betwixt  their  spirit  and 
the  Spirit  which  breathed  in  the  lives  and  writings  of  the 
apostles : — in  short,  betwixt  their  sense  of  the  words  grace, 
conversion,  regeneration,  holiness,  charity,  church,  kingdom 
of  God,  &c.,  and  the  sense  given  of  them  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Nor  need  the  extent  of  these  differences  he  wondered 
at ;  for  if  a  man  differ  from  the  apostles,  how  little  soever, 
how  covertly  soever,  upon  the  point  of  acceptance  with  God, 
that  difference  will  be  found,  more  or  less,  to  aflfect  his 
every  religious  sentiment. 

Having  now  taken  a  general  view  of  some  of  Aspasio's 
principal  friends,  I  will  be  at  liberty  to  pay  a  more  close  at- 
tention to  himself  in  my  next. 


I  am,  &,c. 


LETTER  III. 


Dear  Sir, 

As  the  controversy  we  have  entered  upon,  is  of  such  a 
nature  as  it  can  be  decided  only  by  the  Scriptures,  it  gives  me 
no  small  encouragement  to  proceed,  that  I  have  one  to  deal 
with,  who  manifests  a  very  uncommon  esteem  for  these 
writings. 

No  question  has  been  agitated  with  greater  warmth, 
among  men,  than  that  about  acceptance  with  God.  And  in- 
deed, no  other  question  can  claim  the  precedence  in  point  of 
importance.  Yea,  the  importance  of  every  other  question 
must  be  rated  accordinsr  to  the  connection  it  has  with  this. 


36  LETTERS  ON  [lKT.  III. 

Yet  we  may  well  say,  how  rarely  is  that  question  stated 
upon  the  same  footing  whereon  it  stood  betwixt  Christ,  and 
his  few  disciples  on  the  one  hand,  and  all  the  world  beside  on 
the  other ;  but  more  especially  the  Jews,  who  maintained  the 
opposition  on  more  advantageous  ground  than  any  other  p<>o- 
ple,  then,  or  since,  could  do,  and  so  gave  the  best  handle  for 
the  fullest  discussion  of  that  question?  Amidst  a  multitude  of 
disputes  about  the  Christian  religion,  that  have  employed  the 
mind  of  men,  the  capital  question  has  been  "inuch  mistaken, 
imd  almost  forgotten." 

The  greater  part  of  the  reasoners  about  acceptajice  with  God, 
have  generally  made  the  question  to  run  thus,  How  are  we 
to  be  exercised,  and  under  what  influence,  prompting  or  se- 
conding? What  shall  we  do,  or  endeavour?  What  shall  we 
feel?  or,  What  doth  God  require  of  us,  that  ice  may  escape 
his  icro/th  a«,d  curse  due  to  7is  for  sin  ?  Whereas,  the  first 
question  ought  to  be.  Can  any  doing,  feeling,  endeavouring, 
any  exercise  of  the  soul,  either  prompted  or  seconded,  be  of 
any  avail  to  us  in  this  matter  ?  or.  Whether  or  not  did  Chr^t 
finish  upon  the  cross,  all  that  God  reqwiree,  every  requisite, 
without  exception,  to  procure  acceptance  for,  and  give  relief 
to  the  guilty  conscience  of  the  most  profane  wretch  that  lives  ? 
For  I  need  not  add,  that  it  must  be  the  very  same  thing 
which  placates  divine  justice,  or  which  fully  expresses  the 
necessary  opposition  of  infinite  goodness  to  evil  or  sin,  that 
can  relieve  the  sinner  from  the  sentence  of  condemnation, 
which  is  no  other  than  the  voice  of  God,  naturally  residing 
in  his  conscience.  We  must  not  go  to  borrow  distinctions 
from  the  €chooJ«,  and  say.  What  Christ  hath  done  is  indeed 
ike  Gaaily  meritorious  cause  of  our  acceptance,  and  that  our  as- 
sisted or  prompted  endeavours,  are  to  co-operate  by  way  of 
some  fiubordinate  cause,  under  whatever  name.  No ;  we 
must  either  take  the  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  first  and 
main  question:  "No  trimming,  no  reconciling  expedient," 
must  take  place  here. 

My  plea  with  Aspasio  t^en  proceeds  oipwi  this  cardiaal 
question.  What  is  the  turning  point  from  despair  toward  good 
hope?  The  hinge  of  the  hope  of  mankind  is  the  hinge  of  our 
controversy. 

In  this  controversy,  then,  I  have  this  advantage,  that  I  have 
only  one  object,  one  single  point  to  keep  in  view.  I  have  it 
to  maintain  upon  all  occasions,  that  one  thing  is  needful.  My 
chief  labour  and  care  again  must  lie  in  this,  that  I  do  not  suf- 
i^x  the  change  to  be  put  upon  me  by  means  of  any  distinction^ 


LET.   Ill]  THEHON   AND  ASl'ASIO.  37 

that  I  be  not  imposed  upon  by  well-sounding  words,  to  suffer 
any  dimunition  of,  or  addition  to  the  one  thing  needful. 

Aspasio's  faith  rests,  one  foot  on  grace,  and  the  other  on 
nature ;  or,  to  adopt  a  contrast  often  stated  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, one  foot  on  the  spirit,  and  the  other  on  the  Jies/i ;  or, 
to  make  myself,  perhaps,  still  more  readily  understood,  one 
foot  on  the  work  of  Christ,  and  the  other  on  human  efforts,  or 
the  motions  of  mm's  heart.  Aspasio,  then,  having  two  things 
in  his  eye,  behooved  to  be  greatly  straitened,  how  to  assign 
each  of  them  its  proper  place.  And  though,  in  the  general, 
he  has  handled  the  matter  with  as  great,  yea,  I  will  not 
scruple  to  say,  with  greater  skill  and  address,  than  any  I 
have  seen  on  the  subject ;  yet  to  suppose  that  he  could  do  it 
without  falling  into  inconsistencies,  would  be  to  suppose  him 
capable  of  doing  that  which  never  yet  was,  and,  I  am  confi- 
dent, never  will  be  done  by  any  man.  Who  could  have  im- 
agined, that  he,  who  said  so  many  simple,  clear,  and  strikincr 
things  with  respect  to  the  work  of  Christ,  in  opposition  to  ail 
the  pleas  of  human  pride,  in  the  latter  half  of  the  sixth  dia- 
logue, and  almost  throughout  the  whole  seventh,  would  have 
perplexed  himself  in  the  manner  he  has  done  in  the  sixteenth, 
blending  together  two  things  as  unfit  for  mixture  as  iron  and 
clay  ? 

Having  premised  this  much  in  the  general,  as  to  the  state 
of  the  controversy,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  a  more  particular 
notice  of  Aspasio's  words. 

I  TOOK  notice,  in  my  first  letter,  that  Aspasio's  faith  needed 
a  variety  of  subsidiary  props,  beside  the  work  of  Christ  to 
support  it.     Let  us  now  hear  what  these  are. 

Aspasio,  in  order  to  conduct  Theron  within  reach  of  the  im- 
puted righteousness,  or  to  show  him  that  he  is  not  so  far  from 
it  as  he  apprehends,  first  puts  several  questions  to  him,  which 
he  is  so  happy  as  to  answer  in  the  affirmative,  and  then  com- 
forts him  against  several  discouragements  ;  upon  which  The- 
ron proceeds  thus.  "  If  we  feel  an  aversion  to  sin,  and  prize 
the  blessed  Jesus  above  all  things ;  if  the  prevaihng  bias  of 
our  affections  be  to  the  Divine  Redeemer,  and  the  habitual 
breathing  of  our  souls  after  a  conformity  to  his  image;  may 
we  not  suppose  ourselves  possessed  of  the  truth  and  reality, 
though  we  have  not  the  conficUfice  and  rejoicing oihiihl — I 
say  we,  because  I  apprehend  this  is  not  my  peculiar  case,  but 
common  to  myself  and  many  others,  I  ask,  therefore,  in 
their  name  and  in  my  own,  may  we  not  suppose  our  condi- 
4 


38  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  tU. 

tion  safe,  though  we  dare  not  presume  to  use  the  language  of 
the  spouse,  My  beloved  is  rimic,  and  I  am  his  /" 

1  am  sorry  that  Aspasio  did  not  here  check  Theron  with 
the  Spartan  if,*  once  returned  in  answer  to  a  threatening 
embassy  from  some  of  the  neighbouring  states,  which  is  so 
pertinently  disclosed  in  the  sixth  dialogue.  But  he  has  now 
got  into  better  company,  to  whom  more  deference  and  respect 
must  be  paid.  He  was  then  talking  to  guilty  sinners,  to  mere 
sinners ;  and  having  the  righteousness  of  God  in  his  eye, 
was  confidently  setting  at  nought  all  pretences  to  it  among 
men.  So  that,  whoever  presumed  to  say.  If  I  love  God,  if  I 
love  my  neighbour,  may  I  not  hope —  ;  he  was  ready  to  con- 
found him  by  retorting  the  if  upon  him.  But  now  he  is  in 
presence  of  another  sort  of  sinners,  sinners  endowed  with 
amiable  qualifications,  not  sinners  pretending  by  their  virtue 
and  morality  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  the  imputed  righte- 
ousness, but  devout  sinners  seriously  engaged  in  pious  labours 
to  come  within  reach  of  it. 

Let  us  see  then  what  reception  he  gives  them.  "  Let  these 
persons  know,"  says  he  "  whatever  their  names  or  circum- 
stances are,  that  they  have  as  good  a  right  to  adopt  the  words 
you  mention,  as  Philenor  has  to  call  these  gardens  his  own." 
A  right ! — Strange  !  when  shall  we  come  to  the  far  end  of 
the  question  about  right  ?  Let  us  try.  What  gives  a  right 
to  eternal  life  ?  The  imputed  righteousness.  What  gives  a 
right  to  that  ?  The  work  of  faith.  Who  have  a  right  to  act 
faith  ?  Those  who  feel  an  aversion  to  sin,  &c.  Who  have 
a  right  to  say,  they  feel  this  ? — Perhaps — those  who  feel  an 
aversion  to  its  punishment.  This  calls  to  mind  the  vulgar 
story  of  the  answers  given  to  the  question,  Whereon  stands 
the  earth  ?  which  served  only  to  provoke  the  renewal  of  the 
question. 

If  we  are  not  satisfied  simply  to  believe,  that  the  earth  con- 
tinues to  be  upheld  by  the  same  power  which  poised  it  at  the 
first,  we  must  wait  till  the  students  of  natural  philosophy  be 
agreed  in  fixing  to  us  another  support.  If  we  are  not  satis- 
fied to  answer  all  questions  about  acceptance  with  God,  with 
the  imputed  righteousness  alone,  we  must  wait  till  our  moral 
philosophers  be  able  to  settle  to  us  the  principle  of  moral 


*  Dialogues,  vol.  i,  p.  264.  "  Those  neighbours  gave  them  to  under- 
stand by  their  ambassadors,  That  if  they  entered  their  territories,  they 
would  burn  their  towns,  make  the  inhabitants  prisoners,  and  spread  de- 
struction wherever  they  advanced. — To  which  iusolent  menace,  the 
brave  Lacedaemonians  made  no  other  reply,  than  if." 


LET.  lit.]  TKERON  AND  ASPASIO.  39 

virtue,  about  which  they  are  far  from  being  as  yet  agreed. 
And,  indeed,  if  once  we  depart  one  step  from  the  revealed 
righteousness,  the  whole  plea  about  acceptance  with  God  is 
nothing  else,  at  bottom,  but  a  mere  philosophical  dispute, 
whatever  mask  of  scriptural  phrases  it  may  be  clothed  with. 
Accordingly,  philosophers  have  found  the  people  called 
Q.uakers,  notwithstanding  their  ma«k,  to  be  at  bottom  their 
faithful  friends  and  allies,  and  they  are  daily  coming  into  a 
better  understanding  with  mai^y  others.  Ft)r,  except  w^here 
Christianity  is  maintained  in  that  ancient  simplicity  which 
moved  the  spleen  of  their  ancestors,  they  can  have  no  violent 
or  common  quarrel  against  it ;  though  they  may  maintain 
such  disputes  with  its  professors,  as  they  have  always  enter- 
tained among  themselves.  And,  indeed,  it  may  cause  them  to 
smile,  or,  shall  we  rather  say,  move  their  generous  compas- 
s^.on,  to  see  so  many  of  their  fellow-creatures  labouring  hard 
to  maintain  and  defend  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
and  after  all,  in  the  manner  of  acceptance  with  God,  settmg 
out  from  the  same  common  principle  with  themselves. 

But  stay  !  I  must  not  run  so  fast;  Aspasio  calls  me  back, 
*'  Yet  they  will  do  well  to  remember,  that  these  qualifications, 
however  amiable,  are  by  no  means  the  ground  of  their  right. 
They  are  to  advance  their  claim  and  hold  fast  the  blessing, 
not  as  men  ornamented  with  fine  endowments,  but  as  poor,  in- 
digent, and  guilty  sinners.  For  such  the  Saviour  is  provided, 
to  such  his  benefits  are  proposed,  and  on  such  his  grace  will 
be  magnified." 

More  strange  still !  Why,  then,  must  I  be  at  so  much  cost 
and  pains  to  dress  so  fine,  to  put  on  so  many  ornaments .''  Is 
it  that  I  may  the  better  remember  that  I  am  naked,  or  clad  in 
rags?  Must  I  be  clothed  like  a  gentleman,  that  I  may  be  the 
fitter  company  for  beggars  ?  I  am  told,  that  any  man  fashion- 
ably dressed  may  appear  at  court.  How  shall  such  a  one  be 
brought  to  think  that  his  dress  no  Avay  contributed  to  his  ob- 
taining the  readier  access  ?  Can  all  the  panegyrics  and  dedica- 
tions that  ever  were  wrote,  persuade  us,  that  men  may  be 
ornamented  with  fine  endowments,  and  yet  be  insensible  of 
their  importance :  or  that  every  man's  pride  is  not  equal  to 
his  worth  ?-  The  Scripture  itself  does  not  strip  men  of  their 
self-confidence,  without  divesting  them  of  every  pretence  to 
it,  without  convincing  them  that  they  have  no  fund  for  it.  It 
convinces  them  that  they  are  poor,  indigent,  guilty  sinners ; 
that  they  are  so  in  reality  and  nothing  else.  It  does  not  ad- 
mit that  they  have  any  amiable  qualifications  to  abate  the 
force  of  this  charge,  and,  then,  I  leave  it  to  their  own  generous 


40  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   Ill, 

condescension  to  forego  the  consideration  of  them.  Aspasio 
would  have  us  to  be  very  good  and  very  humble,  in  order  to 
meet  the  imputed  righteousness  ;  to  be  very  holy,  and  to  have 
a  great  sense  of  our  defilement ;  to  be  very  rich,  and  to  have 
a  great  sense  of  our  poverty.  But  in  that  case,  it  is  to  be  pre- 
sumed that  whatever  compliments  we  may  pay  that  righteous- 
ness, it  will  meet  with  but  a  very  cold  reception  from  our 
hearts. 

Avaro,  by  great  diligence  and  success  in  trade,  has  acquired 
a  large  fortune  ;  yet  one  can  scarcely  perceive  any  alteration 
in  his  dress  or  behaviour.  If  you  compliment  him  upon  his 
wealth,  he  modestly  replies,  that  if  he  has  got  some  small 
trifle,  it  ismore  owing  to  kind  Providence  than  to  his  industry  ; 
for  he  has  seen  many  traders,  of  greater  abilities  than  his,, 
decay  into  extreme  poverty  ; — and  after  all  what  is  it  but  dross  I 
yea,  his  confidence  in  his  wealth  is  sometimes  at  so  low  an 
ebb,  that  he  is  sincerely  afraid  that  he  shall  die  a  beggar.  A 
stranger  one  day,  happened  so  far  to  mistake  some  of  his 
modest  and  diffident  appearances,  as  to  entertain  suspicions 
of  his  credit,  and  to  intimate  some  doubts  if  he  was  a  good  man. 
As  soon  as  Avaro  percei^yed  this,  his  temper  warmed,  his 
style  changed, — in  short,  were  I  to  relate  his  whole  behaviour 
on  this  occasion,  you  would  say — a  purse-proud  tradesman 
indeed  1 

But  Aspasio  will  still  insist,  "that  these  qualifications, 
however  amiable,  are  by  no  means  the  ground  of  their  right." 

Let  us  see,  then,  where  the  ground  of  their  right  lies.  I 
think  the  obvious  meaning  of  Aspasio' s  words  is  this,  these 
persons,  so  qualified,  have  the  right,  exclusive  of  unqualified  sin- 
ners, or  of  those  who  are  nothing  else  but  poor,  indigent,  guilty 
sinners.  Where,  then,  can  the  ground  of  the  right  lie,  but  in 
the  distinguishing  qualifications  1  It  cannot  lie  in  any  thing 
common  to  both  :  for  in  that  case  the  unqualified  would  have 
as  good  a  right  as  the  quaUfied.  Therefore  it  must  lie  in  that 
which  constitutes  the  difference  betwixt  them. 

Let  us  now  attend  them  both  at  their  prayers,  and  ncrtice 
how  they  present  their  supplications  before  God. — Methinks 
I  see  first  a  decent  respectable  company  advancing  to  the 
house  of  prayer,  and  then  stepping  forward  with  a  graceful 
assurance,  beginning  their  address  thus:  "We  give  thee 
thanks,  O  God,  for  the  aversion  we  feel  to  sin,  and  for  every 
other  amiable  qualification  by  which  thou  hast  distinguished 
us  from  other  men  ;  Ave  bless  thee  for  every  fine  endowment 
wherewith  thou  hast  ornamented  us,  and  more  especially  for 


LET.  Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  41 

the  peculiar  right  thou  hast  given  us  of  advancing  our  claim 
to  all  the  blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  thy  Messiah ;  whom 
we  prize  above  all  things,  and  to  whose  merits  we  are  in- 
debted for  every  advantage  we  enjoy.  We  humbly  acknow- 
ledge that  our  qualifications  are  by  no  means  the  ground  of 
our  right.  For,  had  it  not  been  for  thy  grace  assistino-  our 
feeble  efforts,  we  might  have  been  as  yet  like  other  men, 
drinking  up  iniquity  like  water.  We  acknowledge  the  rio-hte- 
'  ousness  of  thy  Messiah  to  be  the  only  meritorious  cause  of 
all  our  happiness.  For  his  sake,  therefore,  we  earnestly  beg 
the  continuance  of  thy  grace,  that  we  may  alvv^ays  come  into 
thy  house  of  prayer  with  a  comfortable  assurance,  and  may 
never  be  filled  with  confusion  efface  in  thy  presence." 

Behind  them,  at  some  distance,  I  see  an  abject  company 
approaching,  with  remorse  in  their  faces,  as  if  they  had  just 
come  from  the  gratification  of  some  guilty  passion.  They 
dare  not  venture  beyond  the  porch,  as  if  afraid  to  pollute  the 
sacred  mansion,  but  pointing  toAvard  the  inner  recess  where  the 
propitiatory  stands,  they  are  encouraged  to  utter  these  words 
"  God  be  propitious  to  us  sinners." 

Methought,  as  they  went  up,  I  overheard  one  of  them  say- 
ing to  his  fellow,  "  Surely  there  is  not  a  wretch  upon  earth 
riper  for  hell  than  I.  My  life  has  been  one  continued  course 
of  injustice,  profaneness,  and  excess,  by  which  last  I  have  so 
reduced  my  health  and  circumstances,  that  instead  of  havino- 
any  opportunity  of  lessening  the  debt  I  owe  society,  through 
my  injustice,  1  must  necessarily  increase  it,  by  the  claims  of 
my  wants  upon  their  compassion.  Upon  occasional  touches 
of  remorse  after  satiety,  I  have  often  made  resolutions  of 
amendment ;  but  the  first  temptation  always  broke  them. — 
In  short,  the  more  I  look  into  my  heart,  the  scene  appears  the 

more  shocking.     Whether  I  look  backward  or  forward, 

reason,— experience, — feeling,  suggest  ^nothing  but  matter  of 
anguish. — But  I  am  informed  upon  good  authority,  that  there 
is  a  propitiation  for  sin, — that  there  is  forgiveness  with  Him 
who  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy. — Let  us  there- 
fore draw  near." 

These  last  neither  have  the  qualifications  of  the  former,  nor 
do  they  pretend  to  their  right.  They  can  perceive  no  pro- 
mising sign  about  themselves.  They  feel  no  mark,  no  token, 
but  what  marks  them  out  for  wrath  and  destruction.  They 
have  nothing  in  the  heaven  above,  nor  in  the  earth  below,  to 
keep  their  hearts  from  sinking  into  utter  despair,  but  the  bare 
propitiation-  This,  and  this  alone,  encourages  them  to  make 
their  address  to  God.     By  this,  and  this  alone,  God  conveys 


4a  LETTERS  01^  [LET.  III. 

the  first  taste  of  his  favour  and  peace  mto  their  hearts. 
Now,  and  not  till  now,  do  they  begin  to  love  God  and  hate 
evil.  Now  a  ray  of  good  hope  begins  to  dispel  the  gloomy 
fears  of  future  evils :  and  faith  continuing  to  work  by  love, 
they  go  on  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto  the  end. 

I  complain,  therefore,  of  Aspasio,  for  his  discouraging  such 
as  God  comforts,  and  leading  forward  those  whom  God  holds 
at  a  distance.  Let  these  persons  know,  says  he,  why  these 
persons  more  than  others  ?  Surely,  because  these  persons  are 
in  better  circumstances  than  others.  Nay,  1  am  not  allowed 
to  say  that  fully  either  :  for  he  immediately  adds,  "  whatever 
their  names  or  circumstances  are,"  But  after  all,  I  cannot 
see  how  they  can  be  in  very  bad  circumstances :  at  least,  they 
are  far  from  being  in  such  destitute  circumstances,  as  those  to 
whom  God  is  said  to  commend  his  love,  Rom.  v.  They  are 
not  ungodly,  for  they  are  averse  to  all  evil ;  nor  are  they 
without  strength,  for  the  prevailing  bias  of  their  affections, 
and  the  habitual  breathing  of  their  souls  is  toward  the  perfec- 
tion of  all  virtue  and  goodness. 

Yet,  when  my  friend  deviates  from  the  truth,  it  gives  me 
some  sort  of  satisfaction  to  observe,  that  his  tongue  faulters, 
that  every  second  word  weakens  or  destroys  the  force  of  the 
former.  And  it  pleases  me  to  find,  that  Aspasio  had  not 
courage  to  close  this  period,  without  bringing  forth  the  plain 
truth  at  last.  For  pointing  to  poor,  indigent,  and  guilty  sin- 
ners, he  concludes,  "For  such  the  Saviour  is  provided;  to 
such  his  benefits  are  proposed;  and  on  such  his  grace  will  be 
magnified." 

That  I  may  not  seem  to  be  too  severe  upon  Aspasio,  I  will 
keep  him  in  countenance,  by  taking  notice  of  a  rebuke  that 
was  once  given  to  one  of  the  chief  apostles,  for  an  instance  of 
behaviour,  which  he  was  drawn  into  through  the  fear  of 
giving  offence,  but  which  favoured  strongly  of  Aspasio' s  doc- 
trine. Gal.  ii. 

The  rebuke  which  his  fellow-apostle  gave  him,  was,  I 
think,  to  this  effect ;  "  You  are  indeed  one  of  the  peculiar 
people,  highly  distinguished,  on  account  of  many  qualifica- 
tions and  advantages,  from  mere  Pagans  and  idolaters.  But 
you  have  been  taught  by  revelation  to  know,  that  all  these 
qualifications  and  advantages  are  good  for  nothing  in  point  of 
acceptance  with  God ;  and  that,  in  this  respect,  you  are  per- 
fectly on  a  level  with  the  vilest  alien,  who  has  nothing  else 
to  make  him  clean,  nothing  else  to  bring  him  nigh  to  God, 
but  the  bare  report  he  has  heard  concerning  Christ  crucified. 
In  consequence  of  your  knowing  this,  you  have,  till  now,  re- 


LET.   Ill]  THERON  AND   ASPASIO.  43 

gulated  your  practice  accordingly ;  consorting  and  eating,  in 
a  friendly  manner,  with  the  believing  Pagans  on  all  o^cca- 
sions;  as  knowing  them  to  be,  in  all  respects,  as  clean  and 
nigh  unto  God  as  yourself,  or  any  of  your  qualified  brethren. 
Why,  then,  have  you  now  suffered  yourself  to  be  so  far  over- 
awed, by  the  presence  of  some  of  your  qualified  friends,  as 
practically  to  dissemble  your  avowed  principles,  by  your 
withdrawing,  on  this  occasion,  from  the  company  of  the  be- 
lieving Pagans  1  This  your  conduct  is  far  from  being  up- 
right according  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  has  moreover 
the  worst  of  tendencies.  You  hereby  administer  fuel  to  the 
religious  pride  of  your  qualified  brethren.  You  give  these 
persons  to  know,  that  they  have  some  better  right  to  eternal 
life  than  others,  who  are  not  so  qualified.  You  hereby 
tempt  the  Pagans,  who  have  nothing  else  to  recommend  them 
to  God,  but  what  they  believe  Christ  has  done,  and  who  have 
hitherto,  and  that  upon  good  ground,  considered  this  as  enough, 
to  call  in  question  their  faith,  and  suspect  that  nothing  more,  be- 
side what  they  have  already  believed,  is  necessar5^  In  short, 
you  compel  them  to  seek  after  your  qualifications,  in  order  to 
complete  and  make  sure  their  right  and  title  to  the  favour  of 
God.  You  compel  them,  in  effect,  to  deny  the  truth  of  the 
gospel." 

While  we  are  speaking  of  Jews,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to 
compare,  for  a  little,  the  disposition  which  shows  itself  in  us 
who  call  ourselves  Christians,  with  the  account  given  of  their's 
in  the  New  Testament,  as  to  the  point  of  righteousness,  or  ac- 
ceptance with  God  :  for  whatever  contributes  to  our  acceptance 
with  God,  must  come  under  the  notion  of  our  righteousness. 

If  in  this  matter  we  would  fix  our  attention  more  upon 
things  than  words ;  more  upon  the  leading  features  than  the 
inconsiderable  differences,  I  am  persuaded  the  likeness 
would  appear  very  striking. 

We  Christians  have  been  led  by  prejudice,  rather  than  by 
any  just  reason,  to  entertain  a  contemptible  notion  of  the  an- 
cient Jews,  in  comparison  of  ourselves.  And  this  notion  has, 
among  other  causes,  served  to  make  us  less  attentive  to  the 
grand  controversy  that  was  once  carried  on  among  them  ;  a 
controversy,  wherein  the  true  character  of  God,  and  that  of 
man,  are  set  forth  in  the  strongest  colours.  No  Christian 
nation  can  justly  claim  the  precedence  of  them,  as  to  the  know- 
ledge or  practice  of  virtue  or  piety.  The  Pharisees  had  the 
foremost  reputation  among  them,  both  for  integrity  of  life,  and 
fervour  in?  devotion.  We  are  not  to  imagine,  from  the  cha- 
racter given  of  the  Pharisees  by  the  searcher  of  hearts,  that 


44  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  III. 

they  were  worse  men  than  ourselves.  For  even  he  grants, 
that  they  outwardly  appeared  righteous  unto  men,  and  speaks 
of  them  as  highly  esteemed  among  men,  who  knew  as  well 
how  to  judge  of  characters  as  we  do.  And  we  find  by  several 
testimonies,  that  they  were  men  who  studied  to  keep  a  good 
conscience,  and  were  zealous  for  God.* 

The  chief  thing  for  which  we  find  them  censured  in  the 
New  Testament,  is,  that  they  presumed  God  had  a  peculiar 
regard  for  them,  and  would  accept  them  on  account  of  the 
excellency  of  their  lives.  This,  their  presumption,  did  not 
arise  from  a  firm  persuasion  that  they  had  done  enough  to 
procure  the  favour  of  God  and  eternal  life.  For,  as  to  this, 
their  hearts  failed  them  upon  occasions,  and  the  question  re- 
curred upon  them,  What  good  thing  shall  1  do  ?  What  lack 
I  yet  ?  but  it  proceeded  upon  the  difference  they  perceived 
betwixt  their  ow^n  character  and  that  of  other  men.  This 
naturally  drew  their  attention  and  care  to  increase  that  diffe- 
rence, and  make  it  as  clear  and  sensible  as  they  could ;  see- 
ing from  the  contemplation  thereof  arose  their  chief  satisfac- 
tion, and  the  readiest  means  for  stifling  the  uneasy  question, 
or  keeping  it  out  of  sight.  Consequently  they  had  the  less 
attention  to  spare  for  noticing  another  difference  of  greater 
moment ;  that  is,  the  difference  betwixt  their  own  character, 
and  the  perfection  of  the  divine  laAV. 

Hence  it  was,  that  they  became  very  wise  and  very  scru- 
pulous, as  to  every  thing  that  regarded  the  first-mentioned 
difference,  even  making  additions  to  the  divine  law  in  that 
respect;  and,  at  the  same  time,  very  superficial  in  their 
knowledge,  or  rather  very  ignorant,  as  to  what  regarded  the 
last :  whereas,  had  they  given  their  chief  attention  to  the  last, 
as  they  ought,  it  would  have  appeared  so  immensely  great, 
as  to  make  the  first  utterly  to  disappear ;  even  as  he  who 
takes  a  great  mountain  into  his  eye  at  once,  loses  sight  of  the 


*  I  think  I  need  not  take  time  to  describe  tlie  ridiculous  notion  enter- 
tained by  the  populace  and  their  chief  leaders,  of  the  character  of  the 
Pharisees ;  by  means  of  which  a  great  part  of  the  go.«!])el  history  has 
become  of  no  more  importance  to  them,  than  an  old  legend,  and,  instead 
of  conveying  them  to  the  most  useful  instruction,  serves  only  to  awaken 
in  thevn  the  old  self-applauding  reflection,  '^  If  we  had  been  in  the  days 
of  our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers  with  them." — The 
same  reflection  is  in  like  manner  cherished  by  a  n>oro  fashionable  .sort 
of  teachers,  who  maintain,  that  the  character  given  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment of  the  Gentiles,  at  the  first  publication  of  the  gospel,  was  peculiar 
to  the  Gentiles  of  diat  age  ;  that  they  indeed  deserved  to  be  called  imgod- 
ly,  icithout  strength,  Ss'c. ;  but  that  it  would  be  very  foolish  to  apply  such 
epithets  to  the  people  of  good  Christian  nations. 


LET.  Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  45 

difference  betwixt  one  pebble  and  another  at  the  foot  of  it.  It 
was  this  inattention  and  ignorance  that  Paul  bewailed,  when 
he  said,  they  being  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  Gud,  arc 
sciking  to  establish  their  own.  And  hence  it  was,  that  they 
had  but  a  very  partial  and  imperfect  notion  of  the  law  of  God, 
regarding  it  chiefly  as  it  furnished  them  with  the  means  of 
distinguishing  themselves,  as  well  from  the  looser  sort  of  their 
own  nation,  as  from  the  heathen. 

The  law,  according  to  which  they  sought  to  be  found  righte- 
ous, or  accepted  with  God,  was  indeed  no  other  than  the  law 
delivered  by  Moses;  the  law  which  requires  Godliness  and 
Humanity*  in  perfection,  as  also  the  law  of  nature  requires. 
So  the  Apostle  says.  They  followed  after  the  law  of  right r- 
ous7iess.  But  when  he  speaks  of  their  manner  of  following, 
or  the  course  of  hfe  by  which  they  sought  acceptance  with 
God,  he  says,  The?/  sought  it,  as  it  were,  bi/  the  works  of 
the  law,  Rom.  ix.  32 :  that  is,  Though  their  works  were  far 
from  coming  up  to  what  the  law  required,  in  order  to  con- 
stitute them  good,  or  well  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God ;  yet 
they  bore  such  a  conformity  to  its  precepts  in  the  eyes'  of 
men,  as  to  pass  for  the  works  of  the  law  in  their  esteem,  and 
they  were  very  ready  to  transfer  the  appearance  and  weiglit 
which  their  works  had  in  the  presence  of  men,  into  the  pre- 
sence of  God  and  their  correspondence  with  him  ;  and  to  pre- 
sume, that  he  w^ould  put  much  the  like  value  upon  them. 

Had  the  divine  law  been  given  only  like  human  laws,  as 
a  rule  by  which  men  were  to  judge  of  one  another,  the 
Pharisees  undoubtedly  stood  fairest  for  being  justified  by  it: 
but  when  we  think  of  the  divine  law  given  as  a  rule  to  regu- 
late, not  only  the  correspondence  of  men  with  men,  but  that 
of  every  man  by  himself  with  God  ;  a  rule  by  which  every 
man  is  answerable  to,  and  must  be  tried  by  him,  who  searches 
the  heart,  and  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with  all  the  springs 
of  human  action,  the  question  must  naturally  arise  in  the  breast 
of  the  best  of  men.  Who,  then,  can  be  saved?  where  is  the 
character  to  be  found  that  God  will  approve  1  or  even,  where 
is  the  person  that  can  stand  up  before  his  Maker,  and,  point- 
ing to  the  most  infamous  of  his  neighbours,  say,  I  am  not  as 
this  man  ? 

Though  the  Pharisees'  character  did  in  reality  respect  more 


*  For  brevity's  sake,  I  choose  to  ui^e  these  two  expressions  for  the 
sum  of  the  divine  law  ;  Godliness,  for  love  to  God,  with  all  the  heart, 
.streni^th,  and  soul;  and  Humanity,  instead  ofphilanihropy,  or  as  tlie  full 
import  of  these  words,  Thou  shall  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 


46  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Ill 

the  praise  of  men  than  that  of  God,  yet  we  must  not  consider 
them  as  regardless  of  the  approbation  of  God  and  their  own 
consciences.  Their  whole  conduct  was  not  directed  merely 
by  ostentation:  no;  they  were  zealous  for  God,  while  they 
were  ambitious  to  distinguish  themselves  among  men.  They 
were  concerned  to  have  the  approbation  of  their  own  con- 
sciences, as  to  their  difference  from,  or  excellency  above,  other 
men;  so  that  they  would  not  readily,  even  in  secret,  have  al- 
lowed themselves  in  doing  what  was  unsuitable  to,  or  omitted 
what  was  requisite  to  support  their  difference  from  other  men. 
They  studied  so  to  keep  a  good  conscience  in  this  respect,  as 
that  they  might  be  able,  in  their  addresses  to  God,  to  appeal 
to  him  for  the  truth  and  reality  of  that  difference;  as  would 
appear  from  the  prayer  of  the  Pharisee  in  the  parable. 

The  great  mistake,  then,  of  the  Pharisees  lay  in  this,  that 
they  presumed,  that  what  dirstinguished  them  from  other  men, 
would  recommend  them  to  God.  But  the  greatness  of  their 
mistake  is  perceived  only  by  such  as  believe  the  gospel.  And, 
indeed,  it  had  never  been  effectually  demonstrated  to  the 
conviction  of  any,  if  a  righteousness  exceeding  their's  had  not 
appeared  in  the  world.  That  such  a  righteousness  has  indeed 
appeared,  the  whole  New  Testament  bears  witness.  And  to 
say  barely,  that  it  exceeded  their's  as  far  as  their's  exceeded  the 
naughtiest  character  upon  earth,  to  give  but  a  very  low  ac- 
count of  it,  and  infinitely  short  of  the  truth.  For  it  exceeded 
their's  as  far  as  their's  came  short  of  the  perfection  of  the  di- 
vine law.  And  the  gospel  undoubtedly  gives  their  righte- 
ousness its  highest  place  of  distinction,  when  it  says,  that  the 
righteousness  necessary  for  entering  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  must  exceed  their's. 

The  righteousness  I  am  now  speaking  of,  is  no  other  than 
the  character  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  character  was  not  dis- 
tinguished by  those  shining  qualities,  by  which  great  men 
and  promoters  of  the  temporal  happiness  of  society,  have 
gained  the  applause  of  their  cotemporaries,  and  the  veneration 
of  posterity.  It  was  a  character  in  low  life,  wherein  godliness 
and  humanity  shone  forth  in  perfection.  It  respected  the 
good  of  men,  and  the  ^?r«^i.se  of  God.  It  respected  the 
eternal  good  of  individuals  of  all  ranks,  without  regard  to 
what  class  or  society  of  men  they  belong  to;  without  any 
view  to  form  them  into  any  faction  or  party  connected  by 
secular  ties.  Jesus  Christ  promoted  no  new  art  or  science 
forthelenefit  of  society.  Though  all  means  for  forming 
the  most  perfect  character  were  within  his  power  ;  instead  of 


LET.  Ill]  TIIF.RON   AND  ASPaSIO.  47 

distinguishing  himself  by  such  acts  of  generosity  as  common- 
ly draw  the  applause  and  attachment  of  m;nikind,  he  choose 
to  appear  in  such  a  condition,  as  to  need  the  alms  of  others 
for  supplying  him  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  He  disputed 
not  the  secular  privileges  of  any  rank  or  class  of  men.  He 
gave  forth  no  new  laws  for  the  better  government  of  states  or 
kingdoms :  nor  did  he  urge  a  more  vigorous  execution  of 
any  penal  statutes  then  in  force,  for  the  better  suppression  of 
irreligion  and  immorality.  He  did  not  set  on  foot  any  work 
of  public  reformation.  He  left  the  world  in  all  respects  just 
as  he  found  it,  having  only  made  a  further  discovery  of  the 
evil  thereof  to  his  own  few  disciples,  whom  he  left  exposed  to 
its  hatred ;  warning  them  to  expect  no  better  treatment  from  it 
than  he  himself  met  with.  This  character,  though  unadorned 
with  those  things  which  draw  the  admiration  of  the  world, 
and  though  held  in  the  greatest  contempt  by  all  ranks  of  men 
in  it,  was  y6t  found  perfectly  well  pleasing  to  God,  and  receiv- 
ed the  highest  testimonies  of  his  approbation  and   delight. 

The  name  Jesus  Christ  has  been  torn  off  from  the  character 
drawn  for  it  in  the  New  Testament,  and  has  been  applied  by 
various  classes  of  men  to  the  character  most  admired  by  each 
of  them.  Some,  under  the  name  Jesus  Christ,  present  to  our 
thoughts  an  eminent  moral  philosopher ;  others  a  patriarch 
of  monorchism  ;  others  the  supreme  head  of  a  national  church, 
in  whose  name  all  heresy  and  profaneness  are  to  be  rooted 
out  of  the  nation,  and  all  zealous  ecclesiastics  obtain  prefer- 
ment :  yea,  we  may  find  all  the  same  sorts  of  men  who  op- 
posed Christ  and  his  apostles  at  the  first,  now  severally  main- 
taining their  favourite  maxims  under  the  patronage  of  his 
name. 

We  cannot,  therefore,  have  a  proper  view  of  the  real  cha- 
racter of  Jesus,  without  noticing  the  contrast  wherein  it  stood 
to  that  of  all  other  men,  but  more  especially  to  that  of  the 
Pharisees,  who  had  the  fairest  claim  to  be  accounted  righte- 
ous, and  were  really  esteemed  so  among  men. 

Jesus  Christ  undertook  to  fulfil  all  righteousness  ;  and  we 
see  by  his  doctrine  what  an  extensive  view  he  had  of  the 
perfection  of  the  divine  law,  and  likewise,  of  all  the  ariful 
reasonings  that  take  place  in  the  hearts  of  men  evading  the 
force  thereof  His  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  divine 
law,  and  what  righteousness  was  necessary  to  honour  it,  as 
well  as  his  unfeigned  love  to  it,  are  set  forth  befoiehand  in 
the  psalms,  in  the  language  adapted  for  him.  In  the  1 19th 
psalm,  which  is  employed  from  beginning  to  end,  in  draw- 
ing the  picture  of  his  heart,  and  in  some  others,  we  find  him 


48  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   III. 

speaking  in  this  manner  :  /  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfec- 
tion ;  the  breadth  and  the  length  of  the  most  perfect  charac- 
ters among  men  ;   but  thy  commandment  is  exceeding  broad. 

Thy  righieous)iess,   O  God,  is  very  high. O  God,  icho  is 

like  unto  thee? 

After  the  commencement  of  his  public  ministry,  when  his 
character  began  to  be  exposed  to  the  nai»ow  scrutiny  of  all 
sorts  of  men,  he  did  not,  like  other  pretenders  to  righteous- 
ness, give  such  a  view  of  the  law  of  God,  as  might  best  suit 
the  purpose  of  gaining  a  reputation  for  virtue  and  holiness 
among  men,  and  yet  allow  a  convenient  reserve  for  the  in- 
dulging of  those  passions,  which  however  much  they  may 
move  within  the  bounds  of  decency,  do  indeed  carry  in  them 
the  highest  disaffection  to  God.  In  the  account  which  he 
gives  of  the  divine  law,  in  the  5th,  6th,  and  7th  chapters  of 
Matlhcic,  the  force  of  his  discourse  turns  upon  man's  corres- 
pondence with  God  thereby.  And  he  declares,  that  every 
thought  entertained  in  the  heart,  opposite  to  the  spirit  of  it, 
makes  a  man  liable  to  hell-fire,  or  the  wrath  to  come. 

He  fulfilled  the  law  in  the  strict  sense  he  himself  gave  of 
it.  He  regarded  not  the  difference  from  other  men,  which 
the  Pharisees  made  so  much  account  of  So  far  was  he 
from  keeping  his  distance  from  the  dissolute  part  of  mankind, 
that  he  was  said  to  be  one  of  them.  With  such  affability  and 
kindness  did  he  behave  toward  them,  that  he  was  called  their 
friend.  Toward  the  other  part  of  mankind,  the  Pharisees, 
we  find  him  wearing  a  more  forbidding  air.  We  seldom 
see  him  in  their  company  without  the  frown  in  his  counte- 
nance. The  story  of  the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  recorded 
in  the  8th  chapter  of  John's  Gospel,  sets  before  us  his  beha- 
viour, in  both  these  respects,  in  a  very  striking  view.  It 
would  seem,  that  some  Christians  began  very  early  to  be 
ashamed  of  this  part  of  Christ's  character  :  for  it  is  difficult 
to  give  any  other  reason  for  the  authors  of  the  Syriac  version 
of  the  New  Testament,  their  dropping  or  leaving  out  that 
story  recorded  by  John  in  their  version. 

To  an  attentive  reader  of  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ, 
this  temper  of  mind  in  him  will  often  present  itself  in  very 
surprising  views.  And,  indeed,  our  surprise  at  this  cannot 
be  abated,  but  by  our  calling  to  mind  another,  no  less  won- 
derful, part  of  his  character ;  and  that  is,  the  joint  appear- 
ance of  human  weakness  and  Divine  Majesty.  We  find  him 
subject  to  every  human  want  and  infirmity ;  yet  claiming 
and  manifesting  every  divine  perfection,  every  attribute  of 
that  peerless  One,  who  shares  not  his  glory  with  another. 


LET.   III.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  49 

We  find  him  regardless  of  the  charge  of  blasphemy,  de- 
claring, The  Father  and  I  are  one,  and  receiving  divine 
worship  accordingly.  We  find  him  weary  and  thirsty,  sitting 
on  a  well,  asking  a  drink  of  water,  and  at  the  same  time 
showing  himself  to  be  the  fountain  of  living  loaters.  Not 
to  multiply  instances,  we  find  him  ready  to  expire  on  the 
cross  ;  and  yet,  showing  himself  to  be  the  hearer  of  prayer 
and  the  sovereign  of  Paradise,  or  the  highest  heaven. 

We  must  bear  in  mind,  what  for  a  person  Jesus  was,  what 
submission  he  showed,  what  honour  he  paid  to  the  divine 
law  by  his  obedience,  when  we  hear  him  giving  his  verdict 
of  the  characters  of  other  men,  and  sotting  aside  all  the  boast- 
ed differences  among  them.  It  was  in  the  eyes  of  such  a 
person,  and  it  was  in  contrast  ^\^th  his  righteousness,  that  all 
these  differences  shrunk  into  nothing  ;  even  as  all  difference 
among  the  stars  is  effaced  when  once  the  sun  appears. 

Had  the  wisest  men  of  all  nations  laid  their  heads  together, 
and  consulted  beforehand,  what  character  was  fit  for  God  to 
wear,  in  becoming  a  man  on  the  earth,  they  would,  no  doubt, 
have  imagined  something  very  grand,  far  outshining  the 
character  of  the  perfect  prince  drawn  by  the  author  of  Tele- 

machus. Had  a  man  of  low  condition,  meanly  born,  of  no 

education,  choosing  his  friends  and  companions  from  amongst 
the  basest  of  the  people,  and  having  no  taste  for  the  company 
of  men  of  character  and  distinction;  had  such  a  man,  I  say, 
stood  up,  in  the  midst  of  the  best  improved  nation,  for  the  Di- 
vine personage,  having  no  testimonies  for  the  dignity  of  his 
person  and  the  excellency  of  his  character,  but  what  were 
heavenly,  miraculous,  or  out  of  the  course  of  nature*  how 
great  must  the  disappomtmcnt  be  :  how  great  the  contempt  ? 
how  great  the  indignation  ?  What  skill,  what  pains  wou!d  not 
men  employ  to  stain  his  character,  and  invalidate  every  argu- 
ment of  his  dignity  ?  Philosophy,  carefully  tracing  the  foot- 
steps of  nature,  would  lend  her  aid  to  overthrow  every  pre- 
ternatural testimony  in  his  favour.  Virtue,  hitherto  nourished 
by  praise,  and  claiming  the  privilege  of  being  her  own  reward, 
would  awaken  the  resentment  of  her  votaries  to  repel  the  in- 
sult. Every  human  excellency  would  be  in  arms ;  devout 
zeal  would  take  the  alarm  for  the  honour  of  God,  and  head 
the  opposition;  the  church  would  apprehend  her  danger; 
and  all  contending  parties,  suspending  their  mutual  feuds, 
would  join  in  the  general  cry,  away  with  such  an  one  from 
the  earth. 

What  a   ferment  must  have   been   in  the  minds  of  the 
5 


50  LETTERS  ON  [LET,  III' 

wealthy  citizens  of  Sparta,  when  Lycurgus  dissolved  all 
property,  and  made  an  equal  partition  of  lands,  without  regard 
to  former  claims?  The  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
world,  grated  upon  the  hearts  of  men  in  a  more  tender  part 
still.  For  we  know,  by  history,  and  daily  observation,  that 
men  may  be  brought  to  embrace  voluntary  poverty,  and  to 
choose  the  greatest  bodily  pains,  when  they  are  thereby  fur- 
nished with  a  ground  of  glorying  before  God  over  other  men ; 
yea,  oftentimes  for  the  sake  of  mere  fame  and  worldly  reputa- 
tion. But  where  is  the  man  that  will  fairly  admit  the  con- 
viction, that  he  has  nothing  about  him  whatsoever  to  recom- 
mend him  to  his  Maker  1  Every  man  takes  notice  of  some 
advantageous  difference  in  his  own  favour.  Even  the  man 
of  pleasure,  who  seems  to  have  cast  off  all  fear  of  God,  will, 
upon  occasions,  bestow  a  squint  look  on  the  devotee,  and  say 
in  his  heart,  at  worst  I  am  no  hypocrite  ! 

Jesus  Christ  laid  the  foundation  of  such  a  revolution  among 
mankind,  as  to  virtue  and  happiness,  as  quite  eclipses  all  the 
great  changes  that  ever  happened  in  the  world ;  though  it 
will  not  have  its  full  effect,  till  the  time  when  the  once  rude 
fishers  of  Gallilee,  with  the  other  apostles,  shall  publicly  ap- 
pear, seated  on  twelve  thrones,  next  to  that  of  the  Most  High. 
The  appearance  of  Jesus  in  the  world  well  corresponded  with 
that  grand  revolution,  and  the  lofty,  prophetic  images,  by 
which  it  is  described.  The  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist  who 
came  to  prepare  his  way,  is  thus  pointed  at  by  Isaiah,  chap, 
xl.  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  prepare  ye 
the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway 
for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and  every  moun:' 
tain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low  :  and  the  crooked  shall  be 
made  straight,  arid  the  rough  places  plain.  And  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  sec  it  together; 

for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it. The  earth  is 

represented  as  levelled  into  a  plain,  having  a  highway  cleared 
out  for  Jesus,  to  walk  alone  conspicious  through  the  midst  of 
mankind,  that  all  flesh  might  see  together  the  glory  and  ex- 
cellency of  his  character  ;  that  all  might  see  it  on  an  even  foot- 
ing, none  overtopping  another,  none  intercepting  the  view  of 
his  fellow.  The  same  prophet  speaking  of  his  day,  chap.  ii. 
presents  us,  to  the  same  purpose,  with  a  grand  assemblage  of 
images,  which  are  concluded  with  a  repetition  of  the  leading- 
sentiment  which  introduces  them.  The  lofty  looks  of  man 
shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  be  bowed 
down,  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day.  For 
the  day  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one  that  is 


LET.  ml  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  51 

proud  and  lofty ^  and  upon  every  one  that  is  lifted  up,  and  he 
shall  be  brought  low  ;  and  upon  all  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  that 
are  high  and  lifted  up,  and  upon  all  the  oaks  of  Bashan,  and 
upon  all  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  all  the  hills  that  arc 
lifted,  up,  and  upon  every  high  toicer,  and  upon  every  fenced 
wall,  and  upon  all  the  ships  of  Tarshish,  and  upon  all  plea- 
sant pictures.  And  the  loftiness  of  maii  shall  be  boioed  down^ 
and.  the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  be  made  low  :  and  the  Lord 
alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day.  And  the  idols  shall  be 
utterly  abolished.  The  Apostle  Paul,  while  he  takes  a  sum- 
mary view  of  this  passage,  2  Cor.  x,  4,  5,  at  once  ascertains 
and  illustrates  to  us  the  meaning  of  the  prophet. 

The  same  thing  was  clearly  intimated,  by  the  Spirit  of  pro- 
phecy, at  the  entrance  of  the  Saviour  into  the  world :   Luke 

i,  46 ;   A?id  Mary  said,  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord. 

He  hath  shoiced  strength  with  his  arm  ;  lie  hath  scattered 
the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their  hearts.  He  hath  put 
down  the  mighty  from  their  seats,  and  exalted  them  of  low 
degree.  He  hath  filled  the  hungry  loith  good  things,  and 
the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty  away.  Luke  ii,  34 ;  And  Simeon 
said  unto  Mary  his  mother,  Behold,  this  child  is  set  for  the 
fall  and  rising  agoAn  of  many  in  Israel ;  and  for  a  sign 
which  shall  be  spoken  against, — that  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts  may  be  revealed.  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  saying 
of  Jesus,  oftener  than  once  recorded  in  the  gospels,  Many  that 
are  first  shall  be  last,  and  tlie  last  first  In  fine,  the  whole 
New  Testament  speaks  aloud,  that  as  to  the  matter  of  accept- 
ance with  God,  there  is  no  difference  betwixt  one  man  and 
another  ;* — no  difference  betwixt  the  best  accomplished  gen- 


*  For  illustration  of  this,  I  shall  here  subjoin  the  following  note : 
Jesus  was  not  insensible  to  those  things  which  render  man  amiable  to 
man,  or  one  man  more  so  than  another;  while  he  did  not  admit  the  con- 
sideration of  them  as  of  any  weight  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  Here  we 
may  see  his  groat  self-denial,  and  at  the  same  time  the  gloiy  of  the  Divine 
sovereignty,  Jesus  made  a  very  acceptable  citizen  in  the  city  of  Naza- 
reth; while,  residing  there,  he  increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in 
favour  with  God  and  man  ;  yet,  in  his  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God, 
he  showed  no  peculiar  attachment  lo  them  whatsoever.  The  like  may 
be  said  of  his  connection  with  his  kindred.  The  intimacy  of  private 
friendship  subsisted  betwixt  him  and  his  Apostle  John ;  yet  this  did  not 
make  him  more  indulgent  to  his  friend  than  to  others,  when  he  observed 
in  him  any  disposition  unsuitable  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  wept 
over  the  capital  city  of  his  nation,  while  yet  he  foretold  its  destruction  ; 
even  as  he  wept  over  his  dead  friend  Lazarus,  though  he  knew  it  would 
cost  him  but  a  word  to  raise  him  from  the  dead.  Conversing  one  day 
with  a  certain  young  ruler,  he  was  so  taken  with  his  behaviour,  that  be- 
holding him,  he  loved  him ;   but  as  the  conversation  proceeded  upon 


52  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Ill 

tleman,  and  the  most  infamous  scoundrel ; — no  diflerence 
betwixt  the  most  virtuous  lady  and  the  vilest  prostitute ; — no 
difference  betwixt  the  most  revered  judge,  and  the  most  odious 
criminal  standing  convicted  before  him,  and  receivin?  the 
just  sentence  of  death  from  his  mouth  : — in  a  word,  no  differ- 


the  title  to  eternal  life,  be  sent  him  away  sorrowful.  On  this  occasion, 
his  disciples  were  greatly  astonished,  and  said  among  themselves-,  Jf'ho 
then  can  be  saved  1  Jesus  closes  his  discourses  to  them  at  this  lime,  with 
the  standing  maxim  of  his  kingdom.  Many  that  arc  first  shall  be  last,  and 
the  last  first.  He  knew  by  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  he  saw  by  what 
sort  of  success  his  gospel  was  already  attended  with,  that  his  kingdom 
was  to  consist  chiefly  of  the  last,  the  basest  and  worst  of  mankind,  and 
not  of  the  foremost,  the  most  creditable,  wise,  and  prudent  amongst 
them.  And  he  thanlcfully  submitted  to  this,  for  the  glory  of  his  Father, 
and  the  manifestation  of  his  sovereignty.  So  we  iind  him  expressing 
himself,  upon  the  return  of  some  whom  he  had  sent  to  preach  the  gospel : 
in  this  manner ;  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  hcacen  and  earth,  that 
tJwu  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  icise  and  prudent,  and  hast  rctcaled  than 
unto  babes ;  even  so.  Father,  for  it  scemetk  good  in  thy  sight. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  any  account  of  this  matter,  that  will  satisfy  the 
pride  of  man ;  yet  it  is  veiy  evident,  that,  according  to  the  mind  of  Jesus, 
the  above-mentioned  young  ruler,  ho\vever  amiable,  had  no  part  in  life 
eternal. 

Have  we  not  seen  men  remarkably  amiable  and  useful  in  their  neigh- 
bourhood, who  were  yet  disaffected  to  the  king  ?  Now,  from  this  disaf- 
fection, as  being  opposite  to  the  general  good  of  society',  we  must  infer, 
that  their  social  disposition  is  very  partial  and  defective ;  seeing  it  re- 
quires only  a  proper  opportunity  to  draw  forth  their  hatred  of  their 
countiymen,  and  make  it  issue  in  the  most  destructi\  e  effects.  \V'ith 
much  greater  propriety  may  we  say,  that  all  ungodliness  includes  inhu- 
manity. He  who  has  any  reserve  in  his  submission  to  God,  on  whom 
alone  the  happiness  of  mankind  depends,  must  have  the  like  reserve  in 
his  affection  or  goodwill  to  men;  for  as  God  stands  in  no  need  of  us, 
so  he  requires  no  homage  or  submission  from  us,  but  what  he  judges 
necessary  to  promote  our  nuitual  happiness.  Accordingly,  we  find  the 
Scripture  always  makes  our  love  to  our  neighbour,  the  proof  and  mea- 
sure of  our  2>iety  toward  God.  And  in  this  view,  it  is  called  the  fulfilling 
of  the  law.  So  tlie  Apostle  James,  chap,  ii,  S.  says.  If  ye  fulfil  the  royal 
law,  according  to  the  Scripture,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself ;  yc 
do  icell.  And  Paul  .says,  Rom.  xiii,  10.  Love  tcorketh  no  ill  to  his  neigh- 
bour :  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  lair.  "When  Jesus  was  asked, 
Which  is  the  great  commandment  in  the  law  ?  Matt,  xxii ;  his  answer 
was,  "  Tliou  shult  lore  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  icith  alt 
thy  said,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great  command- 
ment. And  the  second  is  (o^wta  avrtj)  like  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  lore 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself  On  these  two  coinmandments  hang  all  the  laio 
and  the  prophets.  He  gave  the  same  sun^  of  the  law  to  the  lawyer, 
who  stood  up  and  tempted  him.  saying.  Master,  what  sludl  I  do  to 
inherit  eternal  life  ^  Luke  x,  25.  And  when  the  lawyer,  willing  to 
justify  himself,  said.  And  who  is  my  neiahhour  I  Je.sus  agreed  to  rest 
the  issue  of  the  controversy  about  righteousness,  upon  the  re.sult  of 
that  question;  for,  after  giving  him  a  pattern  of  humanity,  he  says  to 
him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise. 


LET.   III.]  THEKON   AND    ASPASIO.  53 

ence  betwixt  the  most  fervent  devotee,  and  the  greatest  ring- 
leader in  profaneness  and  excess. 

If,  then,  the  true  state  of  the  case  betwixt  Jesus  and  the 
Pharisees  be  attended  to,  the  conduct  of  these  last  will  appear 


Let  us  now  apply  what  has  been  said,  to  the  case  of  the  young  ruler, 
who  certainly  deserved  to  be  considered  as  one  of  the  first  or  best  of 
men.  It  is  evident,  he  had  a  very  great  concern  about  eternal  life ; 
and  no  less  esteem  for  Jesus,  as  a  proper  guide  to  him  in  that  respect ; 
so  that  he  appeared  determined  to  do  all  that  Jesus  should  enjoin  him 
in  order  to  obtain  it.  For,  if  we  notice  the  whole  conversation,  from 
his  most  respectful  address,  to  his  most  sorrowful  departure,  we  will 
lind,  that  he  had  as  high  a  regard  for  Jesus  jxs  for  life  eternal ;  which 
is  as  much  as  to  say,  that  he  had  indeed  as  high  a  regard  for  him,  as  he 
had  at  bottom,  or  in  reality,  i'or  God.  Jesus  refuses  the  partial  hom- 
age or  worship  he  paid  him,  as  being  more  than  belonged  to  man, 
and  less  than  Wii5  due  to  the  one  God ;  and  for  aaswer  to  his  anxious 
question,  JVhat  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eternal  life?  refers  him  to 
those  precepts  of  the  law  which  respect  the  love  of  our  neighbour. 
The  young  ruler,  presuming  he  was  blameless  in  this  respect,  answers, 
Master,  all  these  things  have  I  observed  from  my  youth.  Yet  his  con- 
science suggesting  to  him,  that  there  nmst  be  a  deficiency  somewhere, 
made  him  subjoin  this  question,  Jf'hat  lack  J  yet  ?  Hei-enpon  Jesus 
affirms,  there  was  indeed  a  defect  in  his  obedience  ;  and,  in  order  to 
its  being  perfect,  enjoins  him  the  practice  of  such  humanity,  as  would 
manifest  his  entire,  unresened  submission  to,  or  dependence  on  God  ; 
giving  him  withal,  by  his  form  of  expression,  in  making  mention  of 
THE  CROSS,  a  hint  concerning  a  better  righteousness  than  he  was  then 
seeking  after,  and  a  better  life  than  he  presently  enjoyed.  But  such 
was  his  attachment  to  earthly  happiness,  or  to  the  things  which  he  pos- 
sessed, in  the  abundance  of  whicii  he  at  bottom  thought  happiness 
lay,  that  he  had  no  ear  to  give  to  the  true  .scope  of  the  divine  law, 
nor  any  attention  for  the  salutary  hint  given  along  witli  it  by  Jesus; 
which  hint,  had  he  understood  it,  would  have  at  once  eased  his  mind 
about  righteousness,  and  loosed  his  attachment  to  earthly  happiness. 
Ho  he  went  away  very  sorroicful,  i'or  he  icas  very  rich. 

Thus  we  see,  however  great  regard  he  had  for  Jesus,  for  the  favour  of 
God,  and  eternal  life  ;  however  nmch  he  was  concerned  about  godliness 
and  humanity:  yet  his  wealth  was  dearer  to  him  tlian  these  sacred  con- 
siderations, and  determined  him  to  turn  his  back  upon  them  all. 

We  nuisl,  all  the  while,  keep  this  in  our  eye,  that  he  entertained  an 
opinion  of  himself,  as  none  of  the  least  deserving  of  mankind;  that, 
however,  deficient  he  thought  liimself  in  point  of  righteousness,,  he  was 
far  from  thinking  his  case  desperate  in  that  respect ;  for,  in  that  event,  his 
sorrow  would  have  pressed  liim  chiefly  there.  Thus  we  see  how,  upon 
a  proper  trial,  the  best  of  men  are  stripped  bare  of  aU  pretencss  to  true 
godliness  and  humanity. 

The  gospel  sets  before  us  the  character  of  God,  which  is  summed  up  in 
love,  as  fully  displayed  in  the  way  of  humanity  or  kindness  to  men.  And 
this  kindness  of  God  is  the  ouJy  source  of  true  nuUual  kindness  among 
men. 

After  man  had  renounced  his  dependence  on  God.  the  link  of  affection 
or  true  kindness  among  men  was  broken.     Men  became  foolish  and  ig- 


54  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  III. 

very  suitable  to  the  temper  of  the  great  majority  of  those  called 
Christians,  whether  Popish  or  Protestant,  churchmen  or  dis- 
senters :  and  the  great  evil  thereof  will  be  observed  only  by 
those  few  who  are  Christians  in  the  ancient  or  first  sense  of  the 
word  ;  and  who,  in  every  age  and  nation,  alwaj-^s  have  made, 


norant  about  happiness,  eacli  setting  up  for  himself,  and  going  astray 
after  his  own  way.  Hence  endl<*s.s  discords  behooved  to  arise.  So 
Paul,  speakingof  hinwelf  andhis  fellow  Christians,  says,  Jf'c ojirsehes  also 
were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceiving,  serving  divers  lusts  and  plea- 
sures, living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.  But  after 
that  the  kindness  and  (philanthropy,  or)  humanity  of  God  our  Saviour  ap- 
pea  red he  sa  red  us. 

The  kindness  of  God  to  man  is  thus  expre.<«sed,  1  John  iv,  9,  In  this  teas 
manifested  the  love  of  God  toirards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten 
Son  into  the  tcorld,  that  ice  might  lire  through  him.  And  the  argument  for 
nmtual  kindness  arises  thus,  verse  11,  Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  xcc 
ought  to  love  one  another. 

In  the  unparalleled  submission  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  obedience  unto 
death,  we  see  displayed  at  once  the  grandeur  of  the  Divine  Majesty, 
and  the  extent  of  Divine  kindness  to  men.  And  we  cannot  look  upon 
Christ's  work  of  love  to  men,  without  perceiving  therein  the  perfection 
of  godliness. 

It  is  only  by  the  work  of  Christ  that  men  are  restored  to  happiness, 
in  dependence  upon  God,  and  to  true  friendship  among  themselves. 
They  are  restored  to  the  fevour  of  God,  and  of  one  another,  by  that 
which  abolishes  all  differences  and  distinctions  among  them,  and  so 
every  source  of  variance  and  discord. 

The  first  Christians,  who  loved  the  saving  truth,  loved  one  another 
with  a  peculiar  delight  for  the  sake  of  it.  And  they  showed  good  will 
toward  all  others,  as  knowing  none  but  whom  God  might  save,  and 
bring  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

All  the  ancient  followers  after  righteousness,  who,  for  the  sake  of  their 
favourite  distinctions,  opposed  the  saving  truth,  received  this  character 
from  the  sole  unerring  judge  of  godliness  and  humanity,  they  please  not 
God,  and  are  contrary  to  all  men  ;  that  is,  they  were  adversaries  to  the 
eternal  happiness  of  mankind.  And  we  have  the  same  authority  to  sup- 
port us  in  atiirming,  that  every  kind  of  opposition  to  the  gospel,  is  at  the 
same  time  pointed  against  the  humane  spirit  of  the  divine  law,  1  Tim.  i, 
9.11. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  will  appear,  thfit  Christians  must  have  a 
way  of  judging  very  different  from  others,  about  the  pleasure  of  God, 
and  the  benefit  of  men.  Whereas,  all  others  infer  what  is  agreeable  to 
God;  from  their  preconceived  imaginations  about  the  interest  or  benefit 
of  men;  Christians  infer  what  is  beneficial  to  men  from  the  previous  de- 
monstration tliey  have,  l)y  undoubted  facts,  of  what  is  most  agreeable  to 
God.  So  that  when  they  read  the  great  things  revealed  in  the  gospel, 
they  confidently  affirm  with  Paul,  these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto 
vxen. 

These  reflections  I  have  briefly  put  together,  as  a  sample  of  what  the 
Scripture  aflbrds,  in  answer  to  the  objections  men  are  ready  to  make 
against  the  revealed  method  of  acceptance  with  God,  as  annulling  all  the 
boa.sted  difierences  or  distinction.s  in  the  characters  of  men.  To  which  I 
9liall  only  add,  as  a  summary  conclusion,  tliat  though,  among  those  who 


LET,   III]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  55 

andahvays  will  make,  but  a  very  poor  and  despicable  figure  in 
the  eyes  both  of  the  wise  and  of  the  devout,  even  as  he  whose 
name  they  wear  did  before  them. 

What  could  be  more  offensive  to  the  pride  of  man,  or,  shall 
we  say,  to  the  delicate  ears  of  virtue  and  piety,  than  to  hear 
one  claiming  a  heavenly  mission,  declaring  that  all  the  pains 
taken  by  one  man  to  excel  another,  and  to  obtain  the  prefer- 
ence before  God,  go  for  nothing,  or  rather  serve  to  make  him 
more  hateful  in  his  sight  ?  Do  we  not  even  feel  some  incli- 
nation to  sympathize  with  the  Pharisees  in  their  chagrin, 
when  they  were  obliged  to  hear  such  grating  words  as  these, 
That  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  abomina- 
tion in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  that  men  of  the  vilest  charac- 
ters went  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  them? 

When  we  hear  Jesus  saying,  The  tcorld  hateth  mc,  because 
I  testify  of  it,  that  the  icorks  thereof  are  evil ;  shall  we  say, 
that  he  was  sent  from  heaven  to  tell  the  world,  that  murder, 
adultery,  theft,  &;c.,  were  evil  actions  ?  or  did  the  world  ever 
hate  any  man  for  declaiming  against  vice  ?  or  rather,  would 
not  any  man  speaking  publicly  in  its  favour,  run  the  risk  of 
being  stoned  or  torn  to  pieces  even  by  the  most  vicious  of  the 
mob  ?  The  truth  is,  Jesus  w^itncssed  against  the  world  as  evil, 
in  that  respect  wherein  they  approved  and  valued  themselves 
most:  and  accordingly  the  zealous  Jews  understood  him. 
Would  they  not  judge,  then,  that  they  had  good  ground  to 
count  him  an  enemy  to  all  that  they  called  virtuous  or  pious  .'' 

But  how  must  it  heighten  their  provocation,  to  hear  such  a 
man,  whose  character  was  every  where  hissed  at,  who  was 
even  thought  beside  himself  by  his  near  relations,  declaring-, 
in  the  most  open  manner,  with  unshaken  confidence,  that  Go(l 
had  no  delight  in  any  character  under  heaven  but  his  alone  ; 
that  none  of  mankind  could  ever  find  favour  with  God,  but  by 
his  virtue  and  piety  alone  1  Would  they  not  think  they  had 
the  highest  reason  for  their  resentment  l     Saij  we  not  icell^ 

that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a  dtvil  ? He  hath  a 

devil,  and  is  mad,  why  hear  ye  him.  ? 

This  controversy,  we  know,  issued  in  the  death  of  Jesus. 
And,  if  I  might  be  allowed  to  adopt  the  vulgar  use  of  the  word 


have  forfeited  all  title  to  happiness,  difFerent  degrees  of  i)uni.>ihmontniay 
he  inferred  from  difiereut  degrees  of  guilt;  yet  they  are  ail  equally  des- 
titute of  any  plea  for  justification.  For  irhasoevrr  sfuill  keep  the  irkolc 
latr,  and  yet  offend  in  oiie  point,  he  is  ftuiltyof  all.  For  he  that  said,  Do 
not  commit  adultery;  said  also,  Do  not  kill .  Now,  if  thou  commit  no  adul' 
tcry,  yet,  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  become  a  transgressor  of  the  laic. 


56  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   III. 

victim  on  this  occasion,  I  would  say  he  fell  a  victim  to  the 
resentment  of  every  human  excellency.  For  what  is  it  that 
man  glories  in,  that  did  not  find  itself  piqued  and  affronted  by 
the  doctrine,  joined  with  the  extraordinary  circumstances  of 
the  life  of  Jesus. 

As  matters  betwixt  Jesus  and  the  world,  in  al]  the  various 
shapes  it  assumes,  stand  always  much  on  the  same  footing ; 
what  should  hinder  us  to  forget  for  a  little  the  distance  of  time 
and  place,  to  bring  home  the  interesting  scene,  and  hear 
Jonathan  declaring  what  impression  the  recent  circumstances 
made  upon  his  mind  ? 

•'  Had  Jesus,  when  buried,  like  other  mortals,  remained  in  the 
grave,  I  had  steadfastly  adhered  to  the  Pharisees,  and  gloried 
in  being  one  of  them,  as  being  convinced,  that  the  grand 
controversy  about  righteousness,  which  was  carried  on  with 
great  zeal  on  both  sides,  was  now  fairly  decided  in  their  favour, 
and  that  they  had  gained  an  additional  honour  by  the  oppo- 
sition. 

"  I  received  a  liberal  and  virtuous  education  among  the  Sad- 
ducees,  who  admit  no  sense  of  our  sacred  writings  but  what 
they  think  agreeable  to  sound  philosophy.  But  happening, 
about  the  time  that  J^esus  made  his  appearance,  to  fall  acquaint- 
ed with  some  amiable  men  of  eminent  piety  among  the  Phari- 
sees, I  began  to  conceive  a  liking  to  their  party.  I  observed, 
that  they  maintained  a  more  strict  temperance,  and,  in  general 
a  greater  purity  of  life,  and  that  they  had  more  exalted  senti- 
ments about  the  power  and  character  of  God  than  the  other 
party.  I  made  it  my  business  now  to  attend  their  lectures, 
and  study  their  tenets,  in  hopes  of  being  found  worthy  to  rank 
with  them.  Meantime,  the  uncommon  opposition,  shown  to 
them  by  Jesus,  drew  no  small  share  of  my  attention,  and  served, 
on  the  whole,  rather  to  increase  than  diminish  my  attach- 
ment to  them.  I  considered  their  sentiments  as  a  great  im- 
provement of  my  former  way  of  thinking,  and  highly  condu- 
cive to  my  advancement  in  virtue  as  well  as  piety.  1  readily 
judged,  then,  that  the  opposition  which  was  chiefly  pointed 
against  what  came  nearest  to  perfection,  behooved  to  flow  from 
the  worst  of  causes. 

"  I  had  a  very  low  opinion  of  Jesus,  as  well  as  of  the  com- 
pany he  kept,  on  many  accounts,  which  I  shall  not  now  take 
time  to  relate.  In  the  general,  I  thought  him  a  stranger  to 
every  great  and  nobln  sentiment  which  charms  and  elevates 
the  mind  of  man.  What  disaffected  me  most  to  him  was,  I 
thought  him  uncharitable  to  the  last  degree.     I  could  not 


LET.  Ill]  THEIION  AND  ASPASIO.  57 

reconcile,  with  any  degree  of  charity  or  piety,  the  severe 
censures  lie  passed  upon  men  of  the  best  established 
characters.  It  gave  me  great  disgust,  to  hear  him  ad- 
dressing the  men  whom  I  myself  thought  worthy  of  the 
highest  esteem  for  every  thing  great  and  good,  in  such 
uncouth  language  as  this,  Hoic  can  yc  escape  the  davniation 
of  hell !  I  thought  it  intolerable  to  hear  him  at  the  same  time 
declaring,  with  singular  assurance,  that  he  himself  was  the 
only  favourite  of  heaven  ;  that  every  character  of  man,  but  his 
own,  was  the  object  of  the  divine  displeasure  ;  yea,  without 
stopping  here,  v/ith  the  greatest  familiarity  calling  God  his 
Father,  in  a  sense  peculiar  to  himself;  and,  without  leaving 
us  at  any  loss  to  gather  his  meaning,  affirming,  the  father  and 
I  are  one  ;  even  while  he  showed  rather  more  zeal  than  any 
of  us  against  the  least  appearance  of  ascribing  any  divine  attri- 
bute or  name  to  any  but  the  one  God,  or  even  to  himself  in 
any  other  view : — to  hear  him,  in  the  very  house  sacred  to 
the  honour  of  the  one  God,  against  the  profaning  of  which  he 
himself  had  shown  the  greatest  zeal,  not  only  receiving  divine 
praise  from  his  attendants,  but  receiving  it  in  the  very  words 
of  the  sacred  hymns  which  we  use  to  sing  in  our  most  solemn 
assemblies  to  the  praise  of  the  Most  High ;  yet  vindicating 
this  praise  as  his  due,  by  quoting  those  very  hymns  in  sup- 
port of  it ;  and  rebuking  my  zealous  friends,  who  complained 
of  this  as  an  abuse. 

"  Let  any  one  put  himself  in  our  place,  and  try  how  he 
could  have  borne  all  this,  joined  with  many  other  provoking 
circumstances  of  the  like  nature  :  or,  if  any  thing  less  could 
have  satisfied  him,  than  to  have  seen  matters  brought  to  the 
extremities  to  which  all  parties  among  us  at  last  agreed  to 
push  them. 

"  I  must  own,  indeed,  that  there  was  a  peeuMar  energy  in 
the  rebukes  of  Jesus,  which  made  it  very  difficult  for  one  to 
resist  the  force  of  them.  But  what  alarmed  me  most  was,  his 
performing  many  works  that  could  not  be  done  by  human 
power ;  yea,  such  power  appeared  in  them,  that  I  could  not 
help  suspecting,  upon  occasions,  that  the  finger  of  God  was 
there,  notwithstanding  all  the  pains  that  were  taken  to  account 
for  them  otherwise.  However,  as  his  conduct,  on  the  whole, 
seemed  to  me  to  be  so  very  opposite  to  the  universally  receiv- 
ed principles  of  reason  and  religion,  I  made  the  best  shift  I 
could  to  efface  any  impressions  made  on  my  heart  from  that 
quarter,  concluding,  that  as  the  character  of  God  himself 
must  be  measured  by  those  principles,  it  would  be  absurd 


58  LETTERS  OSr  [LET.  III. 

to  suppose,  that  any  revelation  coming  from  him  could  ever 
serve  to  undermine  them. 

*'  By  the  same  principles,  I  fortified  myself  against  the  pre- 
diction delivered  by  Jesus  concerning  his  rising  again  from 
the  dead ;  to  which  event  he  had  openly  appealed  for  proof  of 
his  doctrine  ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  the  excellency  of 
his  person  and  character;  and  what  served  to  give  me 
the  greater  assurance  was,  I  found  my  favourite  party  was 
very  forward  to  refer  the  decision  of  the  whole  controversy  to 
that  same  event,  as  being  very  confident  that  it  would  never 
happen. 

"  When  once  Jesus  was  dead  and  buried,  I  thought  the  dis- 
pute as  good  as  ended.  But  how  great  was  my  astonishment ! 
when  not  long  after,  those  poor  illiterate  men,  who  had  been 
the  companions  of  Jesus,  appeared  publicly,  testifying  with 
uncommon  boldness,  that  he  had  risen  again  from  the  dead, 
according  to  his  prediction :  that  they  were  well  assured  of 
this  by  many  infallible  tokens,  and  at  last  they  saw  him  ascend 
into  heaven ; — when  I  saw  no  threatenings,  no  infamy,  no 
punishment,  could  intimidate  them ; — when,  moreover,  I  ob- 
served so  many  undeniable  proofs  of  supernatural  power,  co- 
operating with  them,  and  exerted  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  as 
risen  from  the  dead.  Then  the  late  wonderful  works  of  Jesus, 
before  his  death,  recurred  upon  my  thoughts — the  former 
impressions  I  had  been  at  so  much  pains  to  stifle,  revived 
afresh  upon  me.  In  short,  the  evidence  crowded  so  fast  upon 
me,  from  every  quarter,  I  found  there  was  no  gainsaying  it. 

"  But  still  I  was  averse  to  the  last  degree  to  admit  it.  I 
was  shocked  at  the  train  of  consequences  which  behooved  to 
follow.  And  thus  I  questioned  with  myself.  Has  reason 
itself  deceived  me  1  Do  all  our  best  books  of  divinity  and 
morality  proceed  upon  false  principles  ?  Must  I  give  up  with 
all  my  choicest  sentiments?  Is  there  no  such  thing  as  wis- 
dom or  righteousness  in  the  world  1  Are  all  the  world  fools 
and  enemies  to  God,  but  these  rude  Galileans  ?  The  reflection 
is  confounding! — But  Avhat  do  these  men  propose?  what  do 
they  aim  at,  by  their  alarming  the  public  in  this  manner, 
with  their  testimony  about  the  resurrection  of  Jesus? — 
They  can  have  no  good  design,  no  benevolent  intention, 
toward  men.  They  seem  rather  to  be  influenced  by  a  most 
malignant  disposition.  They  certainly  intend  to  bring 
this  man's  blood  upon  us, — to  prove  us  all  to  be  enemies  to 
God  and  objects  of  his  wrath.  They  intend  to  make  us  des- 
perate and  utterly  miserable. 


LET.   Ill]  THERON    AND  ASPASIO.  59 

"  With  such  reflections,  whatever  inward  disquiet  I  should 
undergo,  I  resolved  to  combat  whatever  evidence  thoy  could 
produce  ; — till  one  day  that  I  heard  them  charged,  by  some 
of  my  friends  in  authority,  with  the  malevolent  purpose  I 
have  just  mentioned. — But  such  was  their  reply  that,  I  think, 
I  shall  never  forget  it !  They,  indeed,  not  only  allowed,  but 
demonstrated  ail  the  consequences  I  was  so  adverse  to  admit, 
with  such  force  and  evidence,  as  quite  defeated  all  my  resolu- 
tion. But,  then,  they  at  the  same  time,  laid  open  such  a  trea- 
sure of  divine  good  will  toward  men  ; — they  drew  such  a 
character  of  God,  no  less  amiable  than  awful  : — they  laid 
such  a  solid  foundation  of  everlasting  consolation  and  good 
hope,  for  the  most  desperate  and  miserable  wretch,  as  did  in- 
finitely more  than  counterbalance  the  loss  of  all  my  favourite 
principles,  all  my  fond  reasonings,  and  every  worldly  advan- 
tage I  had  connected  with  them.  And  all  this  they  showed, 
with  the  greatest  simplicity  and  clearness,  to  be  the  plain 
meaning  and  import  of  the  fact  which  they  testified,  even  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus.  And  they  confirmed  every  thing  they 
said,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  prophets,  whom  I  had 
never  understood  till  now.  Their  doctrine,  in  respect  of  au- 
thority, resembled  the  word  of  a  king,  against  whom  there  is 
no  rising  up  ;  and  in  respect  of  evidence,  the  light  of  the  sun  ; 
or,  to  use  a  far  more  adequate  similitude,  it  resembled  the  fact 
which  they  testified,  and  whereof  it  was  the  meaning.  And 
it  well  corresponded  thereto  in  its  efTects  ;  for  it  proved  suf- 
ficient to  raise  the  dead,  and  give  hope  to  the  desperate.  The 
fact  and  its  import,  the  hajul  writing  and  the  i)iterpretation, 
equally  became  the  majesty  of  him  who  is  the  Supreme. 

"  I  saw  plainly,  that  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  there 
behooved  to  be  the  agency  of  a  power  superior  to  the  power 
of  nature,  even  capable  to  control  and  reverse  the  course 
thereof:  therefore  I  concluded,  that  this  operating  power  was 
greater  than  the  God  of  the  Sadducees  and  the  philosophers. 
I  found,  also,  that  this  power  had  a  peculiar  character,  mani- 
fest from  the  nature  of  the  controversy,  wherein  it  interposed 
its  agency  and  gave  decision.  I  found  by  the  decision,  that 
its  character  was  more  grand  and  perfect,  as  well  as  its  agency 
.stronger,  than  that  of  the  God  of  the  Pharisees.  As  to  its 
agency,  it  was  able  to  raise  from  deeper  misery  to  higher 
blessedness  than  the  Pharisees  thought  of  As  to  its  character, 
it  appeared  with  unlimited  sovereignty  just  and  merciful  in 
perfection.  Whereas  the  God  of  the  Pharisees  was  such  only 
partially,  and  by  halves  ;  incapable  to  execute  the  threatened 
curse  against  every  sin,  and  yet  show  mercy  and  boundless 


60  LETTERS  ON  [leT.  Ill, 

favour  to  the  transgressors ;  not  so  just  as  to  maintain  the 
honour,  the  spirit,  and  extent  of  the  perfect  law,  at  all  events  : 
not  so  merciful,  as  to  have  any  favour  for  the  utterly  worthless 
and  wretched ;  but,  halving  the  matter,  merciful  to  men  of 
good  repute,  and  just  in  accepting  those  who  are  deficient  in 
their  righteousness;  or,  in  another  view,  just  in  exacting  the 
debt  of  five  hundred  pence,  and  merciful  in  forgiving  that  of 
fifty :  or  showing  justice  only  against  the  utterly  insolvent,  and 
mercy  only  to  those  who  can  make  partial  payment ; — in 
short,  (like  all  created  potentates,)  incapable  of  appearing,  at 
once,  without  limitation  of  either  attribute,  just  and  merciful 
in  perfection, 

"  I  found,  then,  that  the  power  which  operated  in  the  re- 
surrection of  Jesus,  excelled,  not  only  in  strength,  but  also 
in  majesty  and  perfection  of  character,  all  that  was  called 
God  among  men.  So  I  perceived  no  small  propriety  in 
the  saying  of  Jesus,  O  righteous  Father,  the  tcorld  hath  not 
known  thee.  I  concluded,  then,  that  this  /;ou-er  is  the  only 
true  God :  for  that  -which  is  greatest  must  be  God.  Thus 
am  I  called  oft'  from  every  idol,  however  highly  dignified, 
whether  the  work  of  men's  hands,  or  of  their  imaginations,  to 
adore  him  who  is  higher  than  the  highest. 

"  I  frankly  acknowledge,  then,  that  my  religion,  or  my  hope 
toward  God,  is  not  founded  on  argument,  not  on  the  wisdom 
of  men,  but  on  the  fower  of  God ; — not  on  any  deductions 
from  any  principles  1  had  hitherto  known ;  but  on  authority 
interposed  in  a  manner  quite  unexpected,  baffling,  confound- 
ing, and  repelling  all  my  reasonings  ;  and,  if  I  maybe  allowed 
the  expression,  forcirig  upon  me  a  new  set  of  principles,  by 
the  most  convincing  and  satisfactory,  as  well  as  irresistible 
evidence  ; — not  on  any  reasonings  a  priori,  but  on  a  plain 
matter  of  fact,  established  by  impregnable  evidence  ; — not  on 
any  effort  exerted,  or  any  motion  felt  on  my  breast,  but  on  that 
motion  of  divine  power,  which  burst  the  bands  of  death  when 
Jesus  rose; — not  on  any  operation  wbich  men  call  mysti- 
cal, to  avoid  saying  uniiitelligiblc,  but  on  the  simplest 
and  most  striking  operation  of  power  that  can  afiect  the 
human  mmd,  even  the  presenting  alive  again  aman  who  was 
dead ; — not  on  feeling  any  change  on  my  heart  to  the  better, 
or  the  remotest  good  inclination  of  my  will,  but  on  that  fact, 
which,  sore  against  my  will,  forced  upon  me  the  most  shocking 
view  of  my  guilt,  and  proved  me  to  be  an  enemy  to  Heaven, 
in  that  respect  wherein  I  thought  to  have  approved  and  valued 
myself  to  my  last  hour ; — not  on  a  work  of  power  assisting 
me  to  feel,  will,  or  do  any  thing,  in  order  to  peace  with  God, 


LET.  Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  61 

but  on  a  work  of  power,  proving- to  demonstration,  that  every- 
thing needful  thereto  is  already  completely  finished ; — to  say 
all  in  one  word,  not  on  any  difference  betwixt  me  and  others, 
or  any  token  for  good  about  me  whatsoever,  but  on  the  token 
or  proof  of  divine  good-will  expressed,  in  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus,  toward  sinners  of  all  nations,  without  regard  to  any 
difference  by  which  one  man  can  distinguish  himself  from 
another. 

"  This  fact,  firm  as  a  rock,  emboldens  me  to  pay  an  equal 
regard  to  philosophical  guesses  and  to  enthusiastical  fancies. 
If  any  one,  then,  should  ask  me  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in 
me,  I  have  only  one  word  to  say,  Tke  resurrection  of  Jesus. 
Take  away  this  from  me,  and  I  am  miserable  indeed.  Let 
this  stand  true,  and  nothing  shall  ever  make  me  despair. 

"  This  fact  and  its  import,  or  the  character  of  God  thence 
arising,  mutually  confirm  and  ascertain  each  other.  This 
character  could  never  have  been  drawn  to  our  view,  but  from 
some  divine  work.  No  work  but  this  could  ever  evince  such 
a  character ;  and  if  this  work  was  done,  of  necessity  there 
must  be  such  a  character.  This  fact  and  its  import,  then, 
must  stand  or  fall  together.     But  more  particularly, 

"  As  this  divine  character  can  nowhere  be  published  but 
along  with  the  fact,  I  am  assured,  by  hearing  the  grandest 
character  thence  arising,  that  the  fact  must  be  true.  For  to 
suppose,  that  the  bare  notion  or  idea  of  aught  greater  than 
God  could  ever  be  any  where  imagined,  would  be  the  wildest 
of  all  absurdities.  And  it  is  very  evident,  that  the  view  of 
God,  which  the  lower  it  abases  the  pride  of  man,  raises  his 
comfort  and  joy  the  higher  ;  which  reduces  man  to  the  most 
unreserved  or  to  extreme  dependence,  while  it  exalts  him  to 
the  suminit  of  all  happiness;  could  never  be  the  contrivance 
of  man,  whose  strongest  impulse  is  toward  the  gratifying  of  his 
pride,  and  whose  joy  naturally  rises  or  sinks  according  to  the 
success  thereof  Therefore,  when  the  fact  and  its  import  are 
conveyed  to  my  knovvdedge  by  the  same  testimony,  I  have  no 
room  to  doubt  that  God,  who  alone  can  describe  his  own 
character,  is  the  testifier  and  declarer  of  both.  And  surely,  it 
would  be  extremely  absurd  to  suppose,  that  such  a  divine 
character  could  arise  from  a  contrived  lie. 

"  Again,  it  is  from  this  fact  that  the  amiable  character  of  the 
just  God  and  the  Saviour  rises  to  my  view.  I  could  never 
have  known  there  was  such  a  God,  had  I  not  known  this 
fact.  But  I  know,  that  this  fact  being  true,  there  must  be  such 
a  God ;  because  it  is  impossible  to  account  for  it  otherwise. 
Yea,  every  attempt  to  account  for  it  otherwise,  not  onlv  ex- 
6 


62  LETTERS  ON  (LET.  Ill, 

tinguishes  all  my  former  lights,  but,  without  furnishing  me 
with  any  new  ones,  lands  me  in  atheism,  in  chaos,  and  utter 
darkness.  Whereas,  the  account  of  it  given  by  the  witnesses, 
while  it  proves  all  my  former  wisdom  to  be  foolishness,  opens 
to  me  a  new,  and  more  delightful  source  of  knowledge,  throw- 
ing light  upon  a  thousand  facts  that  I  could  never  account  for 
before ;  showing  me  a  no  less  wonderful  than  satisfactory 
propriety  in  all  the  extraordinary  circumstances  attending 
the  birth,  life,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  the  ministry 
of  his  witnesses. — It  throws  light  upon  all  the  ancient  sacred 
writings,  and  the  extraordinary  facts  recorded  in  them  from 
the  creation  downward.  It  sets  my  mind  at  rest,  as  to  all  the 
difficulties  about  the  divine  character,  and  the  condition  of 
man,  which  occasionally  pinched  me  before. — lam  now  recon- 
ciled to  the  entrance  of  sin  and  death  into  the  world,  and  the 
whole  dark  side  of  things,  on  account  of  the  marvellous  light 
that  shines  forth  from  the  greatest  darkness. — I  am  now  re- 
conciled to  the  shade,  on  account  of  the  magnificent  picture 
thence  arising  to  my  view,  and  which  could  not  otherwise 
have  appeared.  In  a  word,  I  thence  perceive  a  no  less  amia- 
ble than  grand  uniformity  of  design,  in  all  the  works  of  God, 
from  first  to  last.  Whereas,  should  I  shut  my  eyes  against 
the  light  issuing  thence,  I  am  immediately  lost  in  an  unfathom- 
able abyss  of  absurdities. 

"  I  KNOW,  then,  assuredly,  when  I  hear  these  illiterate 
men,  attended  by  supernatural  power,  bearing  witness  to  the 
fact,  declaring  the  import  of  it,  and  speaking  (ratieya^ca  tm  Geo) 
the  grand  things  of  God,  I  hear  God  himself  speaking ;  I  hear 
the  voice  and  testimony  of  God.  Divine  wisdom  and  divine 
power,  which  are  indeed  inseparable,  present  themselves  to 
my  conscience  at  once :  my  pride  is  abashed  ;  my  reasonings 
are  silenced,  and  hope  arises  to  me  from  a  new  and  unexpect- 
ed source. 

"  Were  such  a  majestic  personage  as  is  described  by  John, 
in  the  10th  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  to  appear  publicly  to 
our  view,  would  not  all  our  former  ideas  of  human  grandeur 
evanish  at  his  presence  ?  Have  the  wise  men,  of  almost  every 
succeeding  age,  exploded  the  principles  maintained  by  their 
predecessors  both  in  ethics  and  physics  ?  and  should  it  seem 
a  thing  incredible  to  us,  that  when  God,  no  longer  winking 
at  the  times  of  ignorance,  was  to  commence  a  public  speaker 
and  writer  to  men,  he  should  explode  the  wisdom  of  all  the 
teachers  who  formerly  taught  mankind  ?  And  if  we  willingly 
hear  wise  men  tracing  to  us,  the  order  and  connection  of  facts 


LET.  III.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  63 

and  appearances  in  the  course  of  nature,  why  should  we  not 
hear  God  explaining^  to  us  supernatural  facts  ?  This  seems  to 
be  a  province  proper  for  the  author  and  controller  of  nature. 
It  was  surely  far  above  the  fishers  of  Galilee, 

"  I  am  fully  satisfied,  then,  in  agreement  with  the  wit- 
nesses, to  hold  the  meaning  they  have  given  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus,  for  the  gospel,  the  word,  and  the  testimony  of 
God;  and  to  call  it,  byway  of  eminence,  the  truth,  in 
opposition  to  every  false  gloss  on  the  Scriptures,  and  every 
filse  reasoning  about  the  light  or  law  of  nature,  or  about  any 

0  the  works  or  ways  of  God,  This  truth  opens  for  me  a 
plain  path,  and  affords  me  firm  ground  for  every  step ;  so 
that  I  have  no  occasion  to  grope  among  'probabilities  with 
the  academics,  or  no  less  uncertain  feelings  with  the  devo- 
tees ; — no  reason  to  envy  the  former  the  pleasure  they  pro- 
pose in  their  humble,  candid,  and  sincere  inquiries  after — a 
phantom,  which  has  hitherto  eluded  their  grasp ;  or  the  latter, 
the  more  refined  delight  they  propose  in  their  pious  wrest- 
lings and  waitings  for — a  good  conceit  of  themselves : — no 
reason  to  be  scared  by  the  scornful  sneer  of  those,  or  the  more 
solemn  frown  of  these.     Let  this  truth  be  my  companion,  and 

1  will  not  be  ashamed  in  the  presence  of  all  the  sons  of  So- 
crates, though  joined  with  those  of  Gamaliel. 

"  In  company  with  this  truth,  I  dare  act  the  part  proper  to 
man.  I  dare  give  free  scope  to  my  conscience,  before  God, 
and  look  into  his  perfect  law,  as  knowing,  that,  however 
heavy  the  charge  turn  out  against  me,  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  affords  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toAvard  God,  as 
it  shows  a  righteousness  to  be  already  finished,  by  which  God 
can  appear  just  in  justifying  me,  even  in  the  very  w^orst  view 
I  can  have  of  myself,  or  which  is  more,  even  in  the  worst 
view  I  can  appear  in  before  him,  who  knows  all  things.  By 
being  thus  encouraged  to  look  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty, 
and  continue  therein,  I  see  the  extent  of  it  to  be  vastly  wider 
than  I  was  hitherto  willing  to  notice.  And  by  seeing  what 
a  righteousness  was  requisite  to  honour  it,  and  at  what  an  ex- 
pense every  the  least  transgression  of  it  behooved  to  be  ex- 
piated, I  am  led  to  hold  every  precept  of  it  more  sacred  than 
ever  I  did  before.  I  know  that  I  cannot  disregard  any  pre- 
cept of  it,  without,  at  the  same  time,  disregarding  the  reveal- 
ed righteousness.  I  consider  the  perfect  law,  the  law  that 
requires  godliness  and  humanity  in  perfection,  as  the  sacred 
and  invariable  rule  of  correspondence  with  God.  And  though, 
on  this  side  the  grave,  I  cannot  come  before  God  at  any  time, 


64  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   III. 

and  say,  /  have  no  sin,  yet  the  truth  both  binds  and  encou- 
rages me  to  aim  at  no  less  than  perfection. 

"  While  I  keep  the  perfect  law  in  my  view,  which,  like  a 
faithful  mirror,  discovers  all  my  deformity,  I  can  find  no 
reason  to  glory  over  the  most  infamous  of  mankind.  The 
nearer  I  come  to  the  light,  which  makes  manifest  ail  things 
that  are  reproved,  I  have  the  more  reason  to  say.  Behold,  I 
am  vile.  I  can  have  no  room  for  glorying,  then,  but  in  the 
bare  truth  :  and  I  have  good  reason  confidently  to  oppose 
the  righteousness  revealed  there,  to  all  that  is  admired,  in 
its  stead,  among  men. 

*'  I  NOW  see  plainly,  that  alt  my  former  reasonings  against 
Jesus  and  his  character,  were  at  the  same  time  pointed  against 
the  divine  law,  and  against  the  natural  dictates  of  my  own 
conscience.  I  chose  to  confine  the  exercise  of  my  conscience 
to  what  might  distinguish  me  from  others.  I  took  pleasure 
in  reflecting  what  I  was  not,  in  comparison  with  others ;  but 
was  averse  to  notice  tchat  I  was  before  God.  When  any 
uneasy  question,  in  this  last  respect,  arose  in  my  heart,  I  was 
careful  to  turn  it  aside  by  more  agreeable  reasonings.  If  I 
might,  for  once,  call  that  w^hich  properly  distinguishes  man 
from  other  animals,  viz.  his  conscience,  by  the  name  of  rea- 
son, I  would  vary  the  style  of  the  received  maxim,  and  say, 
Reason  pursued  is  despair,  and/ai/A,  or  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  is  the  cure  of  despair.  Before  I  knew  the  cure,  I  found 
nothing  but  pain  and  misery,  in  listening  to  the  simple  dic- 
tates of  my  conscience.  And,  sure  I  am,  neither  conscience 
nor  argument  directed  me  to  the  cure.  But  it  came  to  me, 
unexpectedly,  from  heaven,  by  supernatural  revelation ;  that 
is,  when  I  heard  God,  by  the  mouths  of  the  witnesses,  laying 
open  the  meaning  of  a  supernatural  fact ;  a  fact  that  had  not 
only  awakened  fresh  disturbance  in  my  conscience,  but  also 
demolished  all  my  arguments. 

"  I  was  convinced,  then,  that  the  revealed  truth,  whicli  not 
only  awakened  my  conscience,  and  made  me  sensibie  of  my 
malady,  but  also  brought  such  relief  as  was  swlfieient  to 
satisfy  it  when  most  awakened,  behooved  to  come  from  the 
same  God  who  formed  it,  and  whose  law  is  naturally  im- 
pressed there.  I  found  I  had  hitherto  neglected  and  resisted 
the  natural  notices  of  the  true  God  there,  and  framed  to  my- 
self another  god  by  reasonings; — that  I  had  been  all  along  as 
one  half  asleep  or  intoxicated ;  and  who  chooses  to  be  so,  as 
not  finding  his  circumstances  in  so  good  order  as  to  give  him 
pleasure  and  satisfaction  in  his  soberest  and  coolest  moments. 


LET.   III.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO,  65 

And,  indeed,  who  would  incline  to  give  place  to  such  appre- 
hensions of  God  and  of  himself,  as  could  yield  no  pleasure  nor 
satisfaction ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  greatest  of  all  pains ; 
yea,  behooved,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  cure,  to  fill  his 
mind  with  the  most  repining  hatred  of  God? 

"  I  HAVE  great  reason,  then,  to  value  the  gospel,  as  it  ena- 
bles me  to  reflect,  without  pain,  that  I  am  a  human  creature; 
as  it  presents  me  with  such  an  amiable  view  of  the  inflexibly 
just  God,  as  that  I  may  think  of  him  when  fully  awake,  and 
need  not  court  the  momentary  quiet,  or  rather  insensibility, 
which  is  procured  by  resisting  the  natural  notices  of  God  in 
the  conscience,  or  in  the  more  explicit  declaration  of  his  will 
in  his  written  law.  The  gospel,  while  it  enforces  the  law  of 
God,  and  makes  the  conscience  more  sensible  to  the  convic- 
tion of  sin,  conveys,  likewise  the  most  refreshing  remedy ;  so 
answers  to  the  majesty  of  the  living  and  true  God,  who  says, 
See  now  that  /,  even  I  am  he,  and  there  is  no  God  with  me : 
I  kill,  and  I  make  alive;  I  icound,  and  I  heal :  neither  is 
there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand ;  For  I  lift  up  my 
hand  to  heaven,  and  say,  Hive  for  ever* 

•'  Nor  do  I  think  I  have  any  apology  to  make  to  men,  for 
renouncing  my  former  icays  and  thoughts,  however  righteous 
they  appear  to  myself  and  others,  upon  my  being  found  guilty, 
beyond  reply,  by  the  one  lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to 
destroy ;  and  demonstrated  to  be  wicked  and  unrighteous  in 
respect  to  both,  by  his  irresistible  work  and  testimony.  I  do 
not  think  it  beneath  the  dignity  of  the  wisest  human  creature, 
to  be  convinced  of  his  mistake  by  him,  whom  it  well  becomes 
to  say, — My  thoughts  arc  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your 
ways  my  ways.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth, 
so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than 
your  thoughts.] 

"  I  used  to  admire  it  as  a  fine  imagination,  that  were  truth 
and  virtue  to  be  presented  before  our  eyes  in  all  their  native 
charms,  the  beauteous  splendour  would  be  too  transporting, 
too  dazzling  to  be  beheld  by  us,  but  through  some  veil.  The 
experiment  has  been  tried,  and  that  in  a  manner  far  surpassing 
the  reach  of  fancy.  The  unsullied  perfection  of  both  has 
appeared  in  the  world,  in  all  their  native  charms  indeed,  yet, 
so  as  not  to  hurt  the  weakest  eye. — But  what  was  the  result? 
We  saw  no  form  nor  comeliness  in  him  ;  no  beauty  that  we 
should  desire  him.     We  turned  aside  our  faces  from  him,  as 

*^  Deut.  xxxii,  39.  t  See  Is.  Ir,  7,  8,  9. 

6* 


66  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   III. 

from  a  disagreeable  object.  The  most  wise  and  virtuous 
among  us  were  the  foremost  to  set  him  at  nought. — Yet, 
however  strange  it  may  seem,  true  it  is,  that  some  of  the  most 
base  and  stupid  among  us  were,  upon  this  occasion,  struck 
with  such  an  apprehension  of  divine  beauty,  as  far  exceeds  all 
the  raptures  of  imagination.  The  Word  was  made  flesh, 
(said  they,)  and  dwelt  among  us,  [and  we  beheld  his  glory, 
the  glory  ef  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,)  full  of  grace 
and  truth. 

"  I  HAVE  said,  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  serves  me  as  a  new 
principle  of  knowledge  or  reasoning.  I  do  not  set  out  from 
conjectures  to  inquire  after  truth  ;  but  I  set  out  with  the  light 
of  undoubted  truth,  to  observe  what  path  it  opens  for  me  to 
walk  in.  I  do  not  set  out  from  human  maxims  and  presump- 
tions, to  inquire  how  I  shall  form  a  god  to  myself;  but  I  set 
out  from  heavenly  truth,  stamped  with  the  divine  character, 
to  inquire  how  I  shall  form  my  heart  and  life  suitably  to  it. 
I  do  not  set  out  upon  the  inquiry,  What  I  shall  do  to  placate 
the  Divine  Majesty  ?  or,  as  the  phrase  is.  How  I  shall  make 
up  my  peace  with  God  ?  but  I  set  out  from  the  persuasion, 
that  God  is  just  in  justifying  the  ungodly,  to  inquire^  what 
service  he  has  for  me, — to  prove  what  is  the  good,  and  accept- 
able, and  perfect  will  of  God, 

"  All  my  religious  principles  and  practices  are  so  many 
inferences  from  the  aforementioned  fact ;  yet  I  have  no  ground 
to  value  myself,  as  a  reasoner,  even  on  this  new  footing. 
For  I  could  find  no  satisfactory  meaning  at  all  in  that  fact, 
till  I  was  first  taught  it  by  the  illiterate  Galileans.  And, 
what  is  more,  I  can  deduce  no  inference  from  thence,  till  I  be 
first  taught  it  by  one  or  other  of  the  inspired  witnesses.  But 
when  I  hear  them  displaying  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God 
from  that  source,  I  perceive  a  wonderful  propriety  and  force 
in  the  whole  of  their  reasoning.  Thus  God  sees  meet  to 
abase  my  prid-e  of  understanding,  by  the  very  means  he  uses 
for  conveying  to  me  the  most  useful  and  comfortable  of  all 
knowledge.  And  herein,  I  am  persuaded,  he  consults  my 
real  benefit.  For  were  I  left  to  indulge  my  natural  itch  for 
reasoning,  even  on  this  new  footing,  1  am  sensible  I  should 
soon  act  the  same  part  with  this  supernatural  revelation,  as  I 
formerly  did  with  the  light  of  nature.  When  I  reflect,  were 
all  my  own  wisdom,  and  that  of  the  greatest  sages  landed 
me  ;  and  that,  in  the  height  of  ray  wisdom,  I  turned  out  the 
greatest  fool ;  I  am  now  fully  satisfied,  that  my  safest  and 
wisest  course  is,  simply  to  believe  just  as  I  am  told,  and  sub- 


LET.  Ill]  THFRON  AND  ASPaSIO.  67 

missively  to  do  just  as  I  am  bidden,  without  murmuring 
or  disputing.  However  foolish,  then,  my  rule  of  faith  and 
practice  may  appear  in  the  eyes  of  the  wise,  and  however 
weak  in  the  eyes  of  the  devout,  I  find  myself  kept  in  coun- 
tenance by  the  apostolic  maxim,  The  foolishness  of  God  is 
wiser  than  men,  and  the  weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than 
menP 

Thus  far  Jonathan. 

Let  us  now  take  a  view  of  the  character  of  the  Pharisees, 
in  the  light  thrown  upon  it  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  It 
is  evident,  then,  that  those  who  held  the  first  rank  for  righte- 
ousness among  men,  mortally  hated  the  righteousness  which 
pleased  God.  Those  who  sought  to  be  found  righteous,  as 
IT  were,  by  the  works  of  the  law,  hated  the  real  and  genuine 
works  of  the  law.  Those  who  had  the  highest  zeal  for  the 
letter  of  the  law,  showed  the  greatest  spite  against  the  spirit 
and  end  of  it.  For  what  else  was  the  character  of  Jesus,  but 
the  spirit  and  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  copied  out  in  the 
temper  of  his  mind  and  the  tenor  of  his  actions'?  Those  who 
worshipped,  as  it  icerc,  the  true  God,  hated  his  real  charac- 
ter ;  even  as  Jesus  said.  Now  they  have  both  seen  and  hated 
hath  vie  and  7ny  Father. —  They  hated  me  without  a  cause. 
Those  who  were  eminently  distinguished  by  their  zeal  for 
the  God  of  Israel,  were  proven  to  be  as  much  idolaters  as 
their  fathers  before  the  captivity.  Accordingly,  we  find 
Paul  comparing  the  time  of  Elias  with  his  own  time.  For 
taking  notice  of  the  answer  of  God  to  Elias,  (who  complain- 
ed he  was  left  alone  in  the  general  defection  to  idolatry,)  that 
a  remnant  of  seven  thousand  were  reserved ;  he  adds,  E,ven 
so,  then,  at  this -present  time  also,  there  is  a  remnant,  according 
to  the  election  of  grace. 

It  requires  no  long  process  of  reasoning  to  show,  that  all 
idolatry  lands  in  self-adoration,  since  it  is  the  worship- 
ing of  a  God  of  our  own  making ;  for  men  never  yet  made 
any  image  far  God,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  invented 
any  idea  of  him,  but  what  served  greatly  to  deface  the  glory 
of  the  original,  and  no  less  to  elevate  their  own  pride.  Hence 
it  is,  that  God,  intending  to  exhibit  his  own  image  and  cha- 
racter himself,  issues  the  severest  prohibitions  against  all  idol- 
atry. Hence  he  takes  to  himself  the  title  of  the  jealous 
God.  This  matter  is  set  forth  in  a  variety  of  lights  in  Scrip- 
ture. I  have  no  occasion  for  more  than  a  summary  view  of 
it  at  present. 

Since  man  was  subjected  to  misery,  by  the  curse  of  the  di- 


68  LETTERS  ON  fLET.  III. 

vine  law,  whatever  it  be  that  he  considers  as  his  refuge  from 
misery,  or  the  ground  of  his  hope,  that  is  to  him  the  standard 
and  measure  of  the  divine  character ;  even  as  he,  whose  sole 
ground  of  hope  is  the  work  of  Christ,  draws  his  character  of 
God  from  thence,  and  rejoices  in  God  as  manifested  in  that 
work. 

Man  was  not  left  at  first  to  form  his  own  notion  of  God, 
merely  by  what  he  knew  naturally,  or  might  learn  by  re- 
flecting and  reasoning  on  the  works  he  saw ;  but  it  was  set- 
tled for  him  by  the  law  of  dependence,  impressed  on  his  con- 
science by  the  voice  of  God.  That  law  served  to  fix  on  his 
mind  the  notion  of  God  as  the  author  and  giver  of  all  things, 
as  the  sovereign  of  life  and  death,  that  none  could  once  dis- 
obey him  and  live,  that  none  could  deliver  out  of  his  hand. 
Being  natuially  the  favourite  of  God,  he  was  happy  in  this 
notion  of  him,  while  he  did  nothing  to  offend  him.  But  this 
notion  of  God  can  yield  no  comfort  to  sinners.  It  could 
never  enter  into  the  heart  of  sinful  man,  that  deliverance 
could  come  to  him  from  this  God  ;  and  far  less  could  he  retain 
the  true  notion  of  this  God,  and  expect  deliverance  any  where 
else.  Here  lies  the  grand  impossibility  with  men,  which  the 
all-sufFicient  God  hath  found  out  a  way  to  dissolve.  He  hath 
done  that  Avhich  behooved  for  ever  to  have  appeared  impossible 
in  the  eyes  of  men. 

In  the  gospel,  or  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  find  the 
original  idea  of  the  divine  authority  and  opposition  to  sin 
fully  preserved,  yet  complete  deliverance  wrought  for  men. 
The  gospel  reconciles  men  to  the  just  God,  by  showing 
him  to  be  the  Saviour.  It  reconciles  them  to  have  the  same 
dependence  on  God  for  the  support  of  their  hearts,  or  for  their 
righteousness,  as  man,  while  upright,  was  taught  to  have  for 
his  food ;  the  justifying  righteousness  being  no  less  the  pecu- 
liar w^orkmanship  and  gift  of  God  than  w^as  the  garden  of 
Eden. 

Aside  from  the  gospel,  nothing  remained  for  sinful  man  but 
despair,  or  temporary  refuge  in  some  kind  of  idolatiy.  His 
conscience  and  his  happiness  behooved  to  stand  in  the  strongest 
opposition  to  each  other.  He  must,  then,  be  averse  to  admit 
any  notion  of  God,  but  by  the  comfortable  handle,  or  to  ex- 
tend his  notion  of  the  divine  character  farther  than  is  consist- 
ent with  his  ease  and  quiet.  Hence  arise  all  those  fine  rea- 
sonings, for  which  we  chiefly  value  ourselves  as  rational 
beings.  Hence  it  is,  that  all  men,  who  know  not  the  gospel, 
measure  their  character  of  God,  by  w^hat  is  most  agreea- 
ble to  their  own  taste.     Hence  proceed  all  the  differences 


LET.  Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  69 

among  men,  about  the  divine  character,  from  the  strict  God 
of  the  Pharisees,  who  must  be  served  with  suitable  zeal,  down 
to  what  the  bold  satirist  calls  a  Dciiy  that' s  perfectly  well-bred, 
who  is  pleased  with  politeness. 

It  is  much  the  same,  whether  I  set  up  the  commonest  print 
or  the  finest  statue  of  a  king,  when  my  business  is  to  try 
how  gracefully  I  can  make  my  honours  before  it.  The 
superstitious  pilgrim  may  sometimes  find  his  devotion  as 
much  enlivened  by  the  meanest  relic,  as  by  the  best  adorned 
shrine.  It  does  not  signiiy  much,  by  what  means  one  bungs 
his  deity  present  to  his  eyes  or  his  thoughts :  for  all  men  who 
know  not  the  true  God,  of  whom  Jesus  Christ  is  the  perfect 
image,  losing  nothing  of  the  living  majesty  of  the  original  in 
the  representation,  have  no  other  use  for  a  god,  but  to  be  an 
auxiliary  to  their  pride  or  favourite  passion,  or  such  an  use, 
as,  according  to  the  forementioned  satirist,  Flavia  has  for  her 
glass : 

A.s  Flavia  in  her  glass  an  angel  spies, 
Pride  whispers  in  her  ear  pernicious  lies  ; 
Tells  her,  while  she  surveys  a  face  so  fine. 
There's  no  satiety  of  charms  divine. 

When  men  have  once  settled  their  notion  of  the  divine  cha- 
racter from  that  wherein,  if  I  may  so  speak,  their  self-iviport- 
ance  is  made  to  lie,  it  is  very  natural  for  them  to  have  a  new 
and  additional  pleasure,  in  reflecting  upon  this  their  gotl.  We 
can  be  at  no  loss,  then,  to  see  what  is  the  source  of  this  plea- 
sure, and  where  it  terminates. 

He  who  finds  nothing  that  can  give  him  any  importance, 
but  the  work  of  Christ,  rejoices  in  knowing  that  the  Divine 
good  pleasure  rests  there.  So  his  happiness  arises  wholly 
from  that  which  God  hath  provided,  without  his  concurrence 
in  any  respect ;  and  the  grateful  sense  of  his  happiness  always 
terminates  in  that  work. 

The  Pharisees,  who  knew  not  the  true  God,  being  ignorant 
of  his  righteousness,  sought  to  establish  their  own.  The 
letter  of  the  law,  or  that  notion  of  it  which  was  subservient  to 
their  purpose,  of  distinguishing  themselves  from  other  raen, 
was  their  measure  of  the  character  of  Grod.  To  this  they 
sincerely  endeavoured  to  conform  their  lives ;  and  no  doubt 
they  thought  to  balance  their  failings  by  fasting  and  prayer, 
and  a  careful  observance  of  the  ordinances  about  sacrifice  and 
washing.  So  we  find,  it  gave  them  no  small  satisfaction  to 
reflect,  how  agreeable  they  were  to  their  God. 

We  must  take  this  along  with  us,  that  while  they  gloried  in 


70  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  III. 

that  character  which  was  their  shame  before  the  true  God,  or 
an  abomination  in  his  sight,  they,  at  the  same  time,  had  an 
attentive  eye  to  their  worldly  interest,  regarding  earthly  hap- 
piness more  than  the  life  lying  in  his  favour,  pursuing  that 
species  of  idolatry  which  is  called  the  service  of  mammon. 
So  they  answered  to  the  character  given  to  those  of  their 
number,  who  crept  into  the  first  churches,  unpurged  from  their 
former  leaven — whose  god  is  their  bei.ly,  and  u'hose  glory 
is  in  their  shame. 

As  for  us  Christians,  generally  speaking,  we  seek  acceptance 
with  God  as  it  werehy  the  obedience  of  Christ,  but  in  reality 
by  our  own  works  ; — as  it  uere  by  faith,  but  in  reality  by  the 
actings  of  something  called  by  that  name.  We  speak  of  God 
as  already  well  pleased  in  Jesus  Christ,  or  placated  by  what 
he  hath  done ;  yet  we  hold  it  necessary,  that  some  advance 
should  be  made  on  our  part,  and  some  good  endeavours  exerted 
in  order  to  begin  our  friendly  correspondence  with  him.  At 
bottom  we  consider  the  gospel,  as  presenting  to  us  a  God 
almost  placated,  and  requiring  something  of  us  to  make  him 
fully  so  ;  yet  very  ready  to  help  us  out  with  that  something, 
provided  we  set  about  it  in  good  earnest.  Or,  to  vary  the 
expression,  we  look  on  God  as  become  fully  well  pleased, 
through  the  atonement,  to  assist  our  feeblest  effort  to  attain  the 
qualifications  necessary  to  gain  his  favour.  But,  alas  !  what 
a  poor  use  is  this  for  the  atonement  ?     At  this  rate,  all  our 

concern  about  the  gospel  must  turn  out  to much  ado  about 

nothing.  For,  what  great  benefit  do  we  reap  from  it  ?  I 
think  it  must  amount  to  this,  that  we  have  now  an  authentic 
divine  revelation  assuring  us,  that  the  divine  character  is  such, 
as  the  pride  of  man,  in  all  ages,  has  imagined  it  to  be,  namely, 
that  God  is  disposed  to  assist  and  favour  those  who  are  pre- 
sumed to  be  the  well-disposed.  And  none  of  us  Avill  readily 
admit  the  thought  of  himself,  that  he  is  altogether  ill-disposed. 
At  this  rate,  the  gospel,  by  all  it  speaks  of  grace  and  atone- 
ment, only  presents  to  us  the  tortoise  after  the  elephant,  and 
leaves  us  still  just  where  we  were  when  the  pinch  comes : 
even  on  the  same  footing  with  our  ancient  Pagan  fathers,  as 
to  the  great  and  primary  question,  What  shall  introduce  us 
into  the  Divine  favour?  WheicAvithal  shall  we  come  before 
God? 

We  Protestants  have  indeed  renounced  the  gross  idolatry  of 
our  Popish  fathers,  even  as  the  Jews  returned  from  Babylon 
did  that  of  their  forefathers?  yet,  we  have  closely  imitated  the 


I 


LET.  111.)  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  71 

Jews  contemporary  with  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  in  their 
notions  of  the  Divine  character,  and  in  their  connecting  their 
temporal  interest  with  their  religion,  or  their  zeal  for  a  world- 
ly kingdom  to  the  Messiah.* 

Human  wisdom  has  been  employed  in  all  ages  to  shorten 
the  distance  betwixt  God  and-  man.  All  the  various  methods 
that  have  been  tried,  agree  in  one  respect.  I'hey  all  serve 
more  or  less  to  lower  the  Divine  character,  and  more  or  loss 
to  exalt  that  of  man.  And  thus  it  has  been  thought  the  dis- 
tance might  be  removed,  and  friendship  restored  betwixt  God 
and  man.  Here  the  gospel  differs  from  all  the  devices  of 
human  wisdom.  It  shows  us  the  living  and  true  God  coming 
doum  the  whole  of  the  infinite  distance  himself,  not  to  meet 
returning  man,  but  to  overtake  and  prevent  him,  when  hasten- 
ing to  utter  ruin  ;  to  seek  and  to  save  them  that  were  lost.  It 
shows  us  God  come  down  to  men,  Immanuel,  God  with  us. 
The  great  truth  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the  gospel  is, 
that  God  was  made  manifest  in  the  flesh.  In  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  distance  betwixt  God  and  man  is  entirely  re- 
moved. There  appeared  man  in  his  lowest  misery  that  he 
can  either  feel  or  fear.  There  appeared  the  just  God  in  his 
highest  majesty  of  character  :  The  fulness  of  the  Divine  good 
pleasure  rests  on  him,  who  became  exceeding  sorrowful  even 
unto  death.  There  we  see  Divine  vengeance  executed  against 
sin  to  the  utmost,  yet  the  eternal  God  became  the  refuge  of 
the  guilty.  There  God  appears,  not  working  deliverance 
by  halves,  not  co-operating  with  sinful  man,  not  restoring  his 
depraved  faculties,  and  assisting  him  less  or  more  to  deliver 
himself;  but  working  complete  deliverance  for  man  without 
his  concurrence  in  the  least.  So  that,  according  to  th's  time, 
it  may  well  be  said.  What  hath  God  wrought  ?  What  spirit 
then  shall  dare  to  whisper,  that  710  comfort  or  bpnefit  can  be 

derived  from  the  bare  persuasion  of  this  ?     What But 

I  refrain. 

When  Paul  gloried  only  in  the  work  finished  by  him 
who  died  on  the  cross,  he  was  not  afraid  of  being  guilty  of 
any  degree  of  idolatry,  or  of  derogating  in  the  least  from  the 
honour  of  the  true  God.     He  was  confident,  that  he  was  well 

."*  Wliat  is  above  said  is  not  restrained  to  our  churches  by  law  es- 
tablished :  for  the  .same  dispositions  prevail  equally  among  our  dis- 
senters ;  vviio,  like  disappointed  courtiers,  murmur  at  tiie  proceedings 
of  those  in  place,  and  long  for  nothing  more  than  to  enjoy  those  legal 
advantages  which  they  judge  to  be  at  present  so  ill  bestowed.  So 
th.-it,  generally  speaking,  it  may  well  b-  said,  that  it  is  none  of  the  least 
of  their  grievances  that  they  are  Disse.sters. 


72  LETTERS  ON  (LET.  III. 

kept  in  countenance  by  the  words  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah,*  In 
Jehovah  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall 
glory.  So  he  restricts  the  blessing  to  as  many  as  walk  ac- 
cording to  this  rule,  as  being  the  only  true  Israel,  saying, 
Peace  be  on  them,  and  mercy,  even  uj)on  the  Israel  of  God.] 
And  to  the  Philippians,|  he  says.  Beware  of  dogs,  beware  of 
evil  workers,  beware  of  the  concision;  for  we  are  the  circum- 
cision, ichich  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  thefiesh.  He  was  in  no  fear 
of  incurring  the  curse,  or  forfeiting  the  blessing  pronounced 
in  these  words,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Cursed  be  the  man  that 
trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  fiesh  his  arm,  and  whose  heart 

departeth  from  the  Lord. Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth 

in  the  Lord,  a?id  ivhose  hope  the  Lord  is.  It  may  be  noticed 
here,  that  the  awful  caution  immediately  following  the  curse 
and  blessing  now  cited,  plainly  respects  what  is  man's  confi- 
dence or  ground  of  hope.  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked,  loho  cari  know  it  ?  Jer.  xvii. 

We  know  nothing  about  the  work  of  Christ  but  by  the 
Divine  report  about  it.  All  the  comfort  and  benefit  arising 
from  that  work,  is  conveyed  to  men  by  the  report  of  it :  so 
that  we  can  by  no  means  regard  them  separately.  When 
we  rejoice  in  the  report,  we  rejoice  in  the  work  reported  ;  as 
must  necessarily  be  the  case  with  respect  to  all  glad  tidings 
whatever.  So  that,  if  the  work  reported  be  a  beneficial  work, 
my  whole  joy  arises  from  the  assurance  of  its  being  true. 
The  effect  of  a  true  report  is  the  same  as  the  effect  of  the  per- 
suasion of  it ;  yea,  we  can  have  no  idea  of  a  true  report  but 
by  the  persuasion  of  it.  Whatever,  then,  we  say,  of  the  per- 
suasion, must  equally  be  said  of  the  report,  and  of  the  thing 
reported.  So  we  find  the  word  Faith  is  used  indifferently 
for  either  of  these  in  Scripture.  Every  divine  icork  from 
the  beginning,  has  always  been  attended  with  speaking,  or 
some  report,  declaring  the  meaning  of  what  was  done.  Je- 
sus Christ  came  doing  and  speakiiig ;  he  came  ivorking  the 
justifying  righteousness,  and  declaring  his  ability  to  save. 
And  the  progress  of  his  gospel  in  the  Avorld,  will  always 
correspond  with  his  personal  appearance  among  men.  He 
came  preventing  men,  setting  at  nought  all  their  pretended 
advances  toward  God;  not  teaching  men  how  to  work  for 
life,  but  working  himself  for  them  ;  giving  life  to  the  guil- 
tiest, bringing  nigh  the  remotest  by  his  work.     In  like  man- 

*  Chap,  xlv,  25.        t  Gal.  vl  16.        \  Chap,  iii,  2,  3, 


LET.   III.]  THF.RON    AND  ASTASIO.  73 

ner,  by  the  progress  of  the  divine  report  among  men,  is,  with 
great  propriety,  fulfilled  the  gracious  promise,  Isa.  xlvi,  12, 
13.  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  s  tout-hear  ted,  that  are  far  from 
righteousness  :  I  icilL  bring  near  my  righteousness  ;  it  shall 
not  be  far  off,  and  my  salvation  shall  not  tarry.  By  it 
righteousness  is  conveyed  unto  men,  who  were  till  then  stout- 
hearted, and  far  from  it.  It  comes  unto  men  always  unsent 
for  ;  not  meeting  men  inquiring  after  it,  but  overtaking  them 
when  running  away ;  and,  according  to  the  significant  phrase 
of  the  Prophet,  as  a  voice  behind  them  :  or,  to  change  the 
similitude,  it  finds  men  fast  asleep,  in  the  desert,  in  midnight 
darkness,  among  the  bones  of  many  lately  devoured,  and 
ready  to  be  added  to  the  number.  It  awakens  them  as  by 
the  voice  of  thunder,  and  conducts  them  in  safety  by  its  aw- 
ful but  friendly  lightning.  It  addresses  them  thus  :  Awake 
thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  light.  Men  thus  relieved  I  have  seen,  who  could 
give  no  other  reason  for  their  comfort  but  the  word  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel.  Methinks  I  hear  one  of  them  say, 
"  When  I  first  knew  where  I  was,  I  found  myself  at  an  utter 
impossibility  as  to  all  hope.  The  just  God  and  eternal 
misery  appeared  to  me  inseparable  ideas.  But  thanks  be  to 
God  for  the  salutary  work  !  thanks  be  to  God  for  the  glad 
report!  By  this  report  I  find,  that  with  the  all-sufficient 
God  nothing  shall  be  impossible.  By  this  report  I  am  as- 
sured, that  it  is  highly  consistent  with  the  glory  of  every  di- 
vine perfection  to  save  me,  one  of  the  worst  of  men,  who 
have  hitherto  been  an  enemy  to  all  that 's  good.  The  report 
emboldens  me  to  say.  This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life  ! 
Hence  every  idol !  Should  an  angel  from  heaven  move  the 
question.  Can  this  bare  persuasion  be  any  manner  of  advan- 
tage to  our  persons?  I  would  immediately  suspect  a  like- 
ness to  the  first  question  of  doubt  that  ever  was  moved.  Yea, 
hath  God  said  so  ?  But  should  he  proceed  to  answer  it  too, 
and  say,  No  surely ;  I  would  then  confidently  conclude  it 
was  the  very  spirit  and  style  of  him,  who,  after  deceitfully 
undermining  the  first  words  that  ever  God  spoke  to  man,  ad- 
ventured to  say,  Ye  shall  not  surely  ^it'." 

We  Protestants  have  laid  aside  the  crucifix ;  we  reserve 
no  fragments  of  the  wood  of  the  cross.  But  what  have  we 
got  instead  of  these?  We  have  got  a  perverted  gospel.  We 
have  got  some  insipid  sentiment  about  the  cross  of  Christ,  that, 
like  the  law  of  works,  can  do  us  no  good,  till  it  be  reduced  to 
practice.  As  for  the  bare  work  finished  on  the  cross,  or  the 
7 


74  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  111. 

bare  report  about  it,  however  true  we  think  it,  so  far  have  we 
mistaken  it,  that  setting"  aside  our  active  operations  about  it, 
we  do  not  see  what  comfort  or  benefit  can  be  derived  from  it ; 
we  see  no  form  nor  comeliness  about  it,  why  we  should  desire 
it ;  no  manner  of  advantage  that  can  resuh  from  it.  We  con- 
sider the  gospel  as  furnishing  us  with  so  many  good  and  ex- 
cellent materials  to  work  upon;  and  our  whole  comfort  and 
benefit  arises  from  the  proper  performance  and  success  of  our 
labour. 

Let  us  sum  up  at  once  the  scope  of  the  popular  doctrine 
imder  one  similitude,  including  the  spirit  of  the  many,  by 
which  the  teachers  seek  to  decoy  us.  Let  us  say,  then,  that 
the  gospel,  which  they  impiously  teach  us  to  call  in  itself  a 
dead  letter,  is  as  cold,  and  dead  as  jiint  and  steel ;  that  our 
hearts  are  dark  and  lifeless  like  tinder.  We  are  assured,  by 
the  trials  that  have  been  made  by  many  before  us,  that  the 
materials,  if  properly  used,  are  very  fit  to  produce  a  lively  and 
comfortable  s-park  :  yet  our  hands  are  so  benumbed,  we  cannot 
use  them  to  good  purpose.  However,  we  must  endeavour  to 
use  them  the  best  way  we  can.  While  \ve  are  diligently 
employed  in  these  endeavours,  w^armth  and  vigour  are  restored 
to  our  hands,  and  we  are  at  last  successful  in  producing  the  de- 
sired spark  of  consolation.  As  often  as  we  find  ourselves  in 
darkness,  or  at  a  loss  for  comfort,  we  are  to  renew  the  same 
operation,  encouraging  ourselves  all  the  while  w^ith  the  reflec- 
tion, that  we  once  succeeded,  and  therefore  may  more  readily 
do  so  again.  To  instruct  and  encourage  us  about  these  opera- 
tions, the  body  of  the  popular  doctrine  is  adapted,  and,  in  the 
careful  performance  of  them,  the  most  serious  part  of  our  lives 
must  be  employed.  But  alas  !  Avhat  will  all  our  labour,  or 
all  the  comfort  arising  from  it,  avail  us  before  him,  who  says. 
Behold,  all  ye  that  kindle  afire,  that  compass  yoicr  selves  about 
icith  sparks  :  icalk  in  the  light  of  your  fire,  and  in  the  sparks 
that  ye  have  kindled.  This  shall  ye  have  of  mine  hand,  ye 
shall  lie  d.own  in  sorrow  ? 

I  do  not  think  I  ought  to  make  any  apology  for  my  irony 
as  too  keen,  or  my  style  as  too  severe  on  this  subject :  seeing 
I  know  none,  against  whom  the  edge  of  it  points  more  directly, 
than  it  does  against  myself  For  that  it  may  not  be  thought 
I  am  animated  against  the  popular  doctrine,  by  any  prejudices 
of  education,  I  am  willing  to  own,  that  I  was  brought  up  from 
my  infancy,  in  the  greatest  veneration  for  the  popular  preach- 
ers ; — that  my  first  years  of  reflection  and  reading  were  spent 
in  hearing  them,  and  in  a  careful  perusal  of  their  practical 
treatises ;  and  that  I  continued,  for  a  considerable  time,  by  far 


LET.  III>1  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  75 

too  long  indeed,  seriously  endeavouring  to  form  my  heart  upon 
them. — But  I  am  far  from  thinking  I  say  any  thing  extrava- 
gant, or  in  the  least  injurious  to  my  conscience,  when  I  affirm, 
that  I  might  have  been  as  profitably  employed,  and  even  with 
as  much  Christian  piety,  in  attending  the  levee  of  the  lady  of 
Loretto. 

The  highest  decency  certainly  requires,  that  the  difference 
belwixt  what  is  holy  and  what  is  profane  should  be  set  forth 
in  the  strongest  colours;  especially  when  the  greatest  pains 
are  taken  to  make  that  difference  disappear,  to  confound  hu- 
man efforts  with  the  divine  righteousness,  to  confound  the  froth 
of  human  pride  with  the  most  holy  faith. 

The  prophet  Isaiah,  who  often  speaks  of  the  time  when  the 
divine  righteousness  should  be  brought  near  to  men,  commonly 
intermixes  with  his  accounts  of  it,  the  boldest  expressions  of 
irony  and  contempt,  against  all  the  self-justifying  labour  that 
men  would  oppose  to  it ;  which  he  generally  describes  in 
language  borrowed  from  the  ancient  idolatry.*  I  shall  only 
produce  an  instance  or  two,  out  of  many.  Ch.  xli,  ult.  joined 
with  ch.  xlii,  1. — Behold,  they  are  all  vanity,  their  works  are 
nothing  :  their  molten  images  are  wind  and  confusion.  Be- 
hold my  servant  whom  I  uphold,  mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul 
delighteth :  I  have  put  my  spirit  upon  him,  he  shall  bring 
forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles. — What  a  lively  picture  have 
we  oi  exercised  souls,  hard  at  work  to  accomplish  what  they 
call  conversion,  in  ch.  xliv.  ?  The  passage  is  somewhat  long. 
I  shall  only  cite  a  few  words  from  the  beginning  of  it,  vers. 
9. — They  that  make  a  graven  image,  are  all  oftfiem  vanity, 
and  their  delectable  things  shall  not  profit. —  The  smith  with 
the  tongs  both  workelh  in  the  coals,  and  fashioneih  it  with 
hammers,  arid  worketh  it  with  the  strength  of  his  arms  ;  yea, 
he  is  hungry,  and  his  strength  faileth ;  he  dri7iketh  710  water, 
and  is  faint,  &c.  But  in  opposition  to  all  this  labour,  what 
saith  the  Spirit  of  God?  ch.  Iv.  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  your 
money  for  thai  which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your  labour  for  that 
which  satlsjicth  not  ?  Hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live.  Every 
one,  then,  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  lives  merely  by  what  he 
hears,  without  his  performing  any  duty  at  all :  unless  we 
shall  say,  it  was  the  duty  of  Lazarus  to  hear  and  live,  upon 
the  uttering  of  the  call,  Come  forth.     He  lives,  I  say,  by  what 


*  This  will  readily  appear  to  one  who  compares  what  is  said  Isa.  Ixv. 
i,  .5;  and  Deut.  xx.\ii.  21;  with  the  reference.s  made  to  these  passages, 
in  tlie  New  Testament,  at  the  close  of  Rom.  x. 


76  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  III. 

he  hears :  so  the  sole  reason  he  has  to  give  for  his  comfort,  is 
a  substantial  fact  reported  by  irrefragable  testimony.  And  the 
reason  or  spring  of  his  comfort,  is  the  influencing  principle 
of  his  life  and  practice. — This  is  the  sum  of  all  that  the  Scrip- 
ture speaks  about  conversion,  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth. 

Of  all  the  corruptions  of  the  gospel,  that  is  the  most  dan- 
gerous, which  brings  the  Divine  gift  of  righteousness  seem- 
ingly very  near  to  men,  yet  in  eflfect  sets  it  as  high  above  the 
reach  of  one  whose  conscience  is  awake,  as  the  perfection 
required  by  the  Divine  law  itself  By  this  perverted  gospel, 
many  teachers  tantalize  the  souls  of  men,  leading  those  Avhose 
conscience  is  most  easily  touched,  through  a  course  of  the 
most  gloomy  kind  of  anxieties,  while  the  more  self-confident 
have  their  ears  more  open  to  that  branch  of  the  doctrine 
which  facilitates  the  means  of  reaching  the  desired  comfort : 
understanding  the  strong  words  by  which  the  means  and  re- 
quisites are  described,  in  a  sense  more  suitable  to  human  abili- 
ties and  inclinations,  and  indeed  more  suitable  to  the  spirit 
and  scope  of  the  doctrine,  than  the  others  do. 

It  matters  not  much,  how  near  these  teachers  bring  the 
gift  of  righteousness  to  me,  if  still  it  must  cost  me  as  much 
labour  to  come  within  reach  of  it,  as  to  conform  my  heart  to 
the  law  of  God.  This  being  plainly  the  case,  what  advan- 
tage have  we  by  the  gospel?  We  may  say,  it  indeed  brings  a 
righteousness  considerably  near  to  us,  yet,  in  order  to  come 
within  reach  of  it,  Ave  must  have  all  those  good  dispositions 
that  are  necessary  for  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  I  apprehend, 
it  would  be  no  great  difficulty  to  prove,  that  the  Scripture  itself 
will  warrant  any  man  to  hope  for  acceptance  with  God,  by 
his  own  righteousness,  who  is  influenced  by  all  those  good 
dispositions  toward  the  law,  which  Aspasio  considers  as  re- 
quisites for  coming  to  Christ.  He  who  can  say,  I  feel  an 
aversion  to  sin,  a?id  prize  the  holy  law  above  all  i kings  ;  the 
'prevailing  bias  of  m.y  affection  is  to  the  Divine  law,  and  the 
habitual  breathing  of  my  soul  after  a  conformity  to  its  pre- 
cepts ;  is,  I  think,  in  a  fair  way  to  fulfil  the  law,  so  far  as  to 
live  by  his  own  obedience;  according  to  what  is  said,  Ezek. 
xxxiii,  1 4 — 19.  If  the  wicked  turn  from  his  sin,  and  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right, — he  shall  surely  live, — he  shall 
not  die  ;  none  of  his  sins  that  he  hath  committed,  shall  be  men- 
tioned unto  him  ;  he  hath  done  thai  lohich  is  lazcful  and  right, 
he  shall  surely  live, — he  shall  live  thereby.  Thus  the  dispo- 
sitions made  necessary  for  our  obtaining  life  by  Christ,  are 


LET.   Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  77 

sufficient  to  make  us  live  without  him,  and  to  supersede  the 
necessity  of  any  Christ,  or  atonement. 

While  this  passage  of  Ezekiel  is  before  us,  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  take  a  short  and  summary  view  of  God's  reasoning- 
with  Israel,  in  the  18th  and  33d  chapters.*    Wherein,  I  think, 
we  will  find  due  consideration  paid  to  the  most  notable  ob- 
jections that  ever  were  framed  by  the  heart  of  man,  against 
the  revealed  method  of  acceptance  with  God.     I  shall  only 
premise  what  I  think  I  need  not  take  time  to  illustrate  at  pre- 
sent, That  God  had  hitherto,  by  his  visiting  the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children,  kept  up  in  Israel  a  standing 
pledge  and  memorial  of  his  great  purpose  of  saving  men  by 
the  transferring  of  guilt.     The  Israelites  were,  in  Ezekiel's 
time,  suffering  the  manifest  tokens  of  the  Divine  displeasure, 
for  the  sins  of  their  fathers,  as  well  as  their  own.     Their 
complaint  against  the  \cay  of  God,  as  hard  and  unequal,  was 
twofold.      1.   They  thought  it  unreasonable  that  a  son  should 
suffer  for  the  sins  of  his  parents,  however  well  he  himself 
should  behave ;  for  men  always  presume  they  will  do  better 
than  those  before  them ;    yea,  better  than  they  themselves 
have  formerly  done.     This  complaint  corresponds  exactly 
with  that  which  we  make  against  suffering  for  the  sin  of 
Adam.      To  obviate  this  complaint,  God  proposes  to  take 
away  the  ground    of    it.     He    assures  them  he  would  set 
aside  that  extraordinary  providence,  under  which  they  had 
been  hitherto  conducted,  and  whose  main  end  and  view   I 
have  already  hinted  at ;  that  since  they  found  fault  with  his 
way,  as  unequal,  he  would  deal  with  them  according  to  their 
own,  namely,  according  to  what  they  counted  equity ;  tha^ 

*  Some  have  thought  that  I  have  coivsidered  the  reasonhig  with  Israe 
hi  these  chapters  as  sarcastical.  For  my  part,  I  know  nothmg  in  the 
whole  argument  that  can  come  under  that  notion,  hut  the  profane  sar- 
ca.sm  of  the  four  grapes,  which  God  first  repels  as  impious  in  itself,  and 
unreai-onablo  at  first  instance,  by  asserting  his  own  sovereignty  in  these 
words,  '•  Behold,  all  souls  are  mine ;  as  the  soul  of  the  father,  so  also  the 
soul  of  the  son  is  mine."  Then  he  condescends  to  reason  with  them  on 
their  own  notions  of  equity,  giving  the  most  solemn  assurance  to  every 
objector,  that  it  should  fare  with  him  according  to  his  own  future  conduct. 
Even  a.s  Jesus  solemnly  declares  to  one,  If  tlwu  trilt  enter  into  life,  keep 
the  commandments ;  and  to  another.  This  do,  and  thou  shah  lire.  We 
cannot  seriously  maintain  that  death  is  the  wages  of  sin,  unless  with 
equal  seriousness  we  maintain  that  life  is  due  to  the  righteous.  Those 
indeed  who  pretend  to  be  righteous  while  they  are  not,  expose  ihem- 
.'^:elves  to  worse  than  ri<iicule.  But  this  can  by  no  means  throw  any 
air  of  levity  on  tlie  divine  law,  nor  on  Cod'.s  procedure  with  men, 
which,  in  the  distribution  of  either  justice  or  mercy,  most  .solemnly 
and  invariably  establishes  the  law. 


78  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  III. 

they  should  have  no  more  occasion  to  say,  The  fathers  have 
eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge ; 
that  if  a  wicked  father  should  beget  a  righteous  son,  that  son 
should  surely  live  ;  and  that  every  man  should  suffer  only  for 
his  own  fault.  2.  They  also  thought  it  very  hard,  that  if  a 
man  had  once  led  a  bad  life,  no  encouragement  should  be 
given  for  his  reformation,  however  well  disposed  he  should  be 
for  the  time  to  come.  For  all  men  generally  propose  to  do 
better,  when  once  it  shall  be  move  convenient  for  them.  They 
thought  to  what  purpose  shall  we  reform,  or  hearken  to  the 
prophet's  warning,  to  turn  from  our  evil  way,  while  our  former 
transgressions  still  stand  upon  record  against  us? — Let  us  do 
ever  so  well  for  the  time  to  come,  we  must  be  treated  as  crimi- 
nals for  what  is  past.  God  also  removes  the  ground  of  this 
complaint.  He  assures  every  man,  who  shall  sincerely  repent, 
or  turn  from  his  evil  way,  and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and 
right,  that  he  shall  be  happy,  and  no  mention  made  of  his 
former  fauUs.  All  this  he  confirms  by  his  oath,  that  there 
might  be  no  remaining  doubt  or  hesitation  in  the  minds  of 
men,  about  their  acceptance  with  him,  as  soon  as  they  reform- 
ed. The  complaint  and  the  answer  stand  together  in  these 
words,  chap,  xxxiii,  10,  11.  Therefore,  O  thou  son  of  rtian, 
speak  unto  the  house  of  Israel,  Thus  ye  speak,  saying.  If  our 
transgressions  arid  our  sins  he  upon  us,  and  we  pine  away  in 
them,  how  should  we  then  live  ?  Say  unto  them.  As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked, 
hut  that  the  wicked  should  turn  from  his  way  and  live  :  turn 
ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways ;  for  why  tcill  ye  die,  O 
house  of  Israel  ?  &c.  Then  follow  the  words  in  the  forego- 
ing paragraph. 

But  to  have  a  proper  view  of  this  matter,  one  must  read  the 
whole  two  chapters ;  whence  it  will  appear,  that  the  Divine 
reasoning  in  them  proceeds  wholly  on  the  objection,  that  the 
Lord's  way  was  not  equal:  which  indeed  comprehends  the 
force  of  all  the  objections  that  have  since  been  made  against 
the  gospel.  If  nothing  but  equity  had  appeared  in  the  Divine 
character,  nothing  but  misery  could  have  been  looked  for  by 
the  guilty.  To  men  who  are  dissatisfied  with  his^cay,as 
unequal,  God  proposes  to  deal  with  them  according  to  any 
rule  of  equity  insisted  upon  among  them.  Chap,  xxxiii,  20. 
Ye  say,  the  way  of  the  Lord  is  not  er^ual :  O  ye  house  of 
Israel,  I  ivill  judge  every  one  of  you  after  his  ways.  So 
likewise  it  appears  from  the  NeAv  Testament,  that  every 
one  who  is  found  guilty  at  last,  shall  be  condemned  out  of 


LET.   Ill  ]  THEKOX  AND  ASPASIO  79 

his  own  mouth,  or  for  vvalkmg  unsuitably  to  his  own 
maxim. 

The  field,  then,  is  left  fair  and  open  for  every  one  who  wills 
to  run.  Every  let  or  hindrance,  every  objection  that  the 
reasoning  faculty  of  man  can  frame,  is  entirely  remov  ^d. — 
Let  all  the  well-disposed,  all  the  friends  of  virtue  avail  th3m- 
selves  of  the  free  declaration ;  God  himself  hath  set  his  oithto 
it,  that  every  one  who  turns  from  evil  to  do  good,  shall  be 
happy.  He  who  does  this,  may  warrantably  expect  all 
countenance  and  encouragement  from  his  Maker,  whose  p  -^a- 
sure  ever  lies  on  the  side  of  righteousness.  Many  think  they 
do  so.  Let  them  enjoy  themselves.  Christians  have 
no  occasion  to  quarrel  with  them.  If  they  do  well,  no 
doubt  they  shall  be  accepted.  The  gospel  is  only  a  gra- 
cious provision,  made,  by  the  Supreme  royal  prerogative,  for 
the  guilt}^  and  the  desperate.  Jesus  Christ  came  only  to 
bring  relief  to  the  vicious  and  the  ungodly,  without  infringing 
the  privileges  of  the  righteous  in  the  least.  So  these  last, 
who  are  rich,  have  no  reason,  whatsoever,  to  grudge  at  the 
alms  provided  for  the  starving  poor,  seeing  it  is  done  no  way 
at  their  cost  or  expense.*  As  for  those  who  are  sincere- 
ly well  inclined,  I  have  no  doubt  but  they  will  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right;  even  as  I  make  no  question  but 
those  who  are  averse  to  sin,  will  avoid  it ;  for  I  have  no  notion, 
either  from  Scripture  or  experience,  of  any  impotency  in  man 
to  do  good,  but  what  arises  from  his  aversion  to  it ;  or  of  any 
readiness  in  him  to  do  evil,  but  what  arises  from  his  love  to  it. 
The  gospel,  then,  or  the  way  of  God,  which  will  always  ap- 
pear unequal,  in  some  respect  or  other,  in  the  eyes  of  the  well- 
inclined,  can  never  be  acceptable  to  any  but  those  who  are 
ungodly,  and  without  strength,  even  those  who  can  have  no 
hope  according  to  any  rule  of  equity. 

If  it  be  still  said,  that  there  is  this  difference  betwixt  the  law 
and  the  gospel,  that  the  latter  furnishes  friendly  and  powerful 
assistance  to  the  candidate  for  happiness,  whereas  the  former 


*  When  we  endeavour,  at  any  time,  to  set  forth  the  divine  grace  to- 
ward the  guilty  in  its  proper  light,  I  see  no  occasion  we  have  to  stop 
our  course,  to  pay  a  tender  regard  to  the  scrupulous  objections  of  those 
guardians  of  virtue,  who,  affecting  great  jealousy  for  her  interests,  quite 
overact  their  part,  and  express  no  .'■iiiall  concern,  lest  they  should  l)e  any 
way  injured  by  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  a  door  be  opened  for  licenti- 
ousness ;  for  as  those  objections  were  never  made  l)y  any  such  as  were 
iuipclled  by  manifest  disaffection  to  all  truth,  godliness,  and  hiuuanity, 
the  short  apostolic  rej)ly  lo  the  makers  of  them  is  abundantly  suiHcient, 
Their  damnation  is  just. 


80  LETTERS  ON  [lKT.  HI. 

does  not ;  I  shall  only  reply,  that  an  attentive  reader  of  the 
two  chapters  will  be  at  no  loss  to  prove,  that  he  who  is  sincerely 
inclined  to  fulfil  the  law,  shall  be  favoured  with  the  Divine 
countenance,  no  less  than  he  who  is  sincerely  inclined  to 
comply  with  what  are  called  the  terms  or  requisites  of  the 
gospel. 

I  have  chosen  rather  to  take  notice  of  these  passages  in 
Ezekiel,  because  I  find  nothing-  more  vehemently  insisted 
upon  by  the  popular  precchers,  when  they  would  encourage 
their  hearers  in  their  self-justifying  labour,  than  the  above- 
mentioned  Divine  oath.  And  I  make  no  doubt  but  the 
Jewish  doctors  made  the  same  use  of  it  to  their  pupils.  And 
no  question  they  reckoned  a  man  converted,  when  once  they 
found  him  sincerely  disposed  to  obey  the  law.  The  varia- 
tion of  a  few  names  make  no  material  difference  in  this 
matter. 

I  think  we  may  form  an  idea  of  the  popular  doctrine,  by 
alluding  to  some  of  the  similitudes  most  familiarly  used  by 
the  teachers.  The  gospel,  wc  shall  say,  is  like  a  rope  or 
a  ladder,  let  down  into  a  pit  for  the  deliverance  of  some  men 
who  are  in  hazard  of  perishing  at  the  bottom  of  it ;  let  dovm, 
I  say,  considerably  near  to  them ;  yet  at  such  a  distance  as 
they  are  scarce  able,  by  their  greatest  efforts  and  utmost 
stretching,  to  touch,  by  the  point  of  their  finger,  the  means  of 
their  escape ;  yet  it  is  their  duty  to  continue  labouring  to  get 
hold  of  if.  waitino-  for  supernatural  assistance.  Now,  it  does 
not  signify  much,  by  what  name  we  call  the  means  of  es- 
cape, whether  we  call  it  the  law  or  the  gospel ;  for  the  great 
concern  we  have  with  either  of  these,  is  to  obtain  a  righte- 
ousness, or  title  to  life.  I  apprehend,  then,  that  the  great  dif- 
ficulty is  over,  when  once  a  man  has  fairly  got  hold  of  the 
rope,  or  his  foot  on  the  first  step  of  the  ladder  ;  that  is,  when 
he  has  got  his  aversion  to  righteousness  overcome,  and  point- 
ed the  other  way,  toward  sin.  The  whole  ascent  after  this 
must  certainly  be  much  easier. 

I  say,  it  does  not  signify  much,  Avhether  we  call  our  means 
of  escape  the  law  or  the  gospel :  for,  according  both  to  the 
Jewish  and  popular  doctrine,  it  is  not  the  bare  knowledge  of 
the  law,  or  the  gospel,  that  can  do  us  any  service,  but  the  use 
we  make  of  them.  The  bare  persuasion  of  the  truth  con- 
tained in  either,  imless  reduced  to  practice,  cnn  be  of  no  man- 
ner of  advantage  to  our  persons.*     This  is  likewise  common 


*  I  am  here  reminded  of  a  fixed  maxim  among  our  popular  preach- 
ers, That  an  unapplied  Christ  is  no  Christ  or  Saviour  at  all.     Ju.st  so  it 


LET.   III.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  81 

to  both,  that  they  convey  happiness,  or  afford  hopo  to  the  well- 
disposed.  And  the  exercise  of  the  candidates  must  be  much 
the  same  with  respect  to  either ;  that  is,  to  endeavour  to  at- 
tain a  due  sense  of  former  deficiencies,  with  a  proper  value 
and  esteem  for  the  mean  of  escape ;  or,  in  other  words,  to  at 
tain  to  the  hatred  of  sin,  and  the  love  of  righteousness.  And 
we  need  make  no  question,  but  the  Jewish  teachers,  who 
were  well  skilled  in  the  business  of  making  proselytes  or 
converts,  knew  as  well  as  our  popular  preachers,  how  to 
awaken  concern,  and  to  suggest  comfort,  by  heightening  and 
lowering  the  terms  and  requisites  by  turns,  according  to  the 
various  cases  of  their  hearers.  And  it  would  seem,  that  the 
zealous  Jews,  as  well  as  modern  Christians,  laid  no  small 
stress  on  the  diligent  attendance  they  gave  in  hearing  sound 
doctrine,  and  the  motions  thereby  produced  in  their  hearts. 
Paul  insinuates  no  less,  when  he  says  to  the  Jews,  Ao/  the 
HEARERS  OF  THE  LAW  are  justified  before  God,  hut  the 
DOERS  OF  THE  LAW  shall  be  justified.  The  more  attentively 
we  consider  this  matter  we  shall  find  the  more  reason  to 
conclude,  what  has  been  oftener  than  once  hinted,  that  it  is 
of  no  great  moment,  what  name  or  thing  w^e  make  use  of, 
or  what  materials  we  work  upon,  to  excite  and  gratify  the 
darling  sense  of  self  importance;  the  operation  and  the  effect 
being  in  all  cases  nearly  the  same,  while  we  are  the  agents, 
and  the  comfort  is  to  arise  more  or  less,  from  our  labour. 

The  source  of  all  this  self-justifying  labour,  as  grafted  upon 
Christianity,  I  take  to  be  this.  The  gospel,  or  the  report 
concerning  the  work  of  Christ,  wears  the  same  uniform  as- 
pect toward  all,  considering  all  mankind  as  perfectly  on  a 
level,  regarding  even  those  whom  it  relieves  as  children  of 
wrath,  even  as  others.  The  pride  of  man,  which  must  al- 
ways have  some  distinguishing  qualification  to  feed  upon, 
cannot  digest  this.  So  each  one  reasons  thus  :  "  Seeing  many 
shall  perish,  and  seeing  the  gospel  says  nothing  to  me,  but 
what  it  says  to  every  one,  what  comfort  can  I  reap  from  it, 
unless  I  can  find  about  myself  at  least  one  grain  of  odds, 
casting  the  balance  in  my  favour,  in  comparison  with  others, 
or  in  comparison  with  what  I  myself  have  hitherto  been?" 


may  be  said  of  the  law,  that  an  unfulfilled  law,  or  a  law  not  actually  ap- 
plied and  reduced  to  practice,  can  give  no  life  at  all.  So  that  "roneraliy 
.speakinfif,  it  may  well  be  said,  that  we  differ  from  the  Jews  more  about 
words  than  thintjs. 


82  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IIL 

Here  let  me  adopt  the  words  of  Mr.  Prior,  which  will  serve 
my  purpose  as  well  as  his : 

"  That  cruel  something  nnpossest 
Corrodes  and  leavens  all  the  rest." 

Nor  is  it,  though  more  soothing,  less  noxious  when  possess- 
ed. Our  attention  is  so  much  engrossed  in  the  pursuit  of 
this  somcthiiig,  that  we  mistake,  neglect,  and  despise  the  sim- 
ple report  of  the  gospel ;  so  cannot  find  the  comfort  which  it 
yields  to  every  one  who  understands  and  holds  it  for  true. 
And,  indeed,  a  cruel  something  it  is  ;  for  it  stings  to  death  all 
who  covet,  and  all  who  have  it ;  all  who  hewail  the  want, 
and  all  who  rejoice  in  the  possession  of  it.  The  former  it 
leads  through  a  tiresome  and  gloomy  path  unto  utter  dark- 
ness ;  the  latter  it  lulls  asleep  on  the  top  of  a  precipice,  soothes 
them  awhile  with  pleasing  dreams,  then  throws  them  down 
headlong  at  last.  Those  of  the  former  class  have  no  ear  to 
give  to  any  thing  that  can  he  said  of  the  truth  and  certainty 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  grand  things  of  God  reported  there. 
Every  thing  about  it  appears  dark,  lifeless,  and  insipid,  for 
want  of  the  wished  for  something.  And,  indeed,  they  seldom 
meet  with  any  teachers  but  such  as  sympathize  with,  and  so 
encourage  them  in  their  impious  complaining  and  murmur- 
ing against  God,  for  want  of  a  righteousness,  as  if  this  were 
the  exercise  of  godliness.  With  respect  to  the  other  class, 
who  presume  they  have  got  something  that  turns  the  balance 
in  their  favour,  we  may  accommodate  the  distich  thus : 

That  fav'rite  something,  when  possest, 
Spreads  hght  and  joy  o'er  all  the  rest. 

So  they  walk  in  the  light  of  this  something.  The  whole 
gospel  now  appears  to  them  a  very  lovely  and  joyful  scheme ; 
because  they  find  some  reason  why  all  its  comforts  should 
bear  a  peculiar  direction  or  respect  towards  them,  in  dis- 
tinction from  others.  So  we  may  find  them  talking,  in  a 
very  high  strain,  of  the  gospel,  with  very  great  satisfaction 
and  delight,  and  even  in  raptures  about  it.  Not  that  they 
are  much  concerned  about  the  truth  or  certainty  of  it ;  for  as 
this  is  not  the  source  of  their  joy,  they  scarce  know  what  it 
is  to  have  any  doubt  about  it.  They  are  generally  satisfied 
to  hold  this  as  they  received  it,  by  tradition  from  their  fathers. 
And  who  could  move  any  doubt  about  this,  but  Infidels  and 
Atheists  ?  But  let  their  favourite  distinction  be  once  called 
in  question,  and  they  will  immediately  remonstrate  against 
this,  as  razing  the  fonadaiion.     And  in  this  respect,  it  must 


LET.  Ill]  THEUON   AND    ASPASIO.  83 

be  owned,  they  speak  with  great  propriety  ;  for  this  is  indeed 
the  foundation,  hght,  and  life  of  their  whole  religion.  No 
sooner  are  they  possessed  of  this,  but  they  begin  lo  look  down, 
with  a  solemn  pride,  upon  the  rest  of  mankind  as  profane,  and 
to  complain  aloud  of  the  prevalency  of  infidelity  and  irreli- 
gion ;  regretting,  no  doubt,  that  that  for  which  they  value 
themselves,  is  not  sufficiently  esteemed  by  the  rest  of  man- 
kind. This  is,  indeed,  the  great  centre  of  the  popular  doc- 
trine, the  very  axis  on  which  it  turns.  Here  all  its  lines  are 
united ;  all  the  Divine  attributes,  works,  and  words,  are  in- 
troduced as  handmaids  subservient  to  this  favourite  distinction. 
The  power  and  cunning  of  Satan  is  to  be  guarded  against, 
chiefly,  as  opposed  to  this.  But  if  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the 
Scripture,  it  will  appear  that  this  something  is  the  great  en- 
gine employed  to  blind  the  minds  of  men,  lest  the  light  of  the 
gospel  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should 
shine  unto  them.  It  will  appear,  that  if  we  imagine  we  pos- 
sess or  desire  to  attain  any  requisite  to  our  acceptance  with 
God,  either  aside  from,  or  in  connection  with  the  bare  work 
of  Christ, — Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  us, — Christ 
shall  profit  us  nothing. 

The  Jewish  and  Christian  teachers,  then,  have  agreed  thus 
far,  that  they  have  both  taught  their  disciples  to  become  fol- 
lowers after  righteousness.  But  what  shall  we  say,  if  it 
should  appear  from  the  Scripture,  that  all  who  attain  to  righte- 
ousness, are  such  as  were  not  seeking  after  it  ?  The  Scrip- 
ture indeed  asserts  it ;  but  I  am  not  obliged  to  account  for  it. 
Paul  himself,  while  he  plainly  asserts  it  as  a  certain  matter 
of  fact,  introduces  it  with  a  question  of  solemn  surprise. 
Wlujbt  shall  we  say  then  ?  That  the  Gentiles,  which  follow- 
ed not  after  righteousness,  have  attained  to  righteousness,  even 
the  righteowsness  which  is  of  faith:*    Bat  Israel,  which  fol- 


"^  It  is  plain,  from  this  passage,  that  that  form  of  expression  which  oc- 
curs so  often  in  Paul's  epistles,  tJic  righteousness  of  faith,  or  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  faith,  mii<,t  denote  rather  the  way  how  righteousness 
comes  unto  us,  than  how  we  came  to  it,  seeing  they  who  followed  not 
after  it,  are  said  to  attain  to  it.  And  indeed  nothing  is  more  frequent  in 
common  life,  than  the  conveyance  of  joy  or  sorrow  to  us  by  unexpected 
news,  accordingly,  we  find  it  to  be  the  current  and  familiar  style  of  the 
Scripture,  concerning  the  conveyance  of  righteousness,  salvation,  or 
blessedness  to  men,  or,  which  is  tiie  same  thing,  the  word  of  God  con- 
cerning it,  that  IT  coMKs  or  is  sk.nt  to  them.  So  it  is  compared  to  the 
rain  and  the  snow  coming  down  from  heaven ;  and  it  as  eflV'ctually  pro- 
duces hearing  and  understanding,  as  these  produce  moisture  in  the 
j)'irched  earth.  The  Divine  report,  atid  the  hearing  of  laitli,  are  so 
cloc-ely  connected  together,  that  the  same  Greek  expression  (iKor,)  seems 


Si  LETTERS  ON  LET.   Ill- 

lowed,  hath  not  attained.  And  he  calls  Isiiah  very  bold  for 
declaring-  the  same  truth  : — /  uhis  found  of  them  that  sought 
me  not ;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them  that  asked  not  after 
me,  Rom.  ix,  x.  Aspasio's  friend,  Mr.  Erskine,  not  choosing- 
to  deny  this  altog^ether,  has  fallen  upon  a  most  ingenious  me- 
thod to  extract  from  it  an  argument,  a  fortiori,  for  encou- 
rao-ino-  his  disciples  in  their  labour,  thus:  "  He  is  sometimes 
found  of  them  that  seek  him  not,  as  Paul,  Zaccheus  : — much 
more  will  he  be  found  of  them  that  seek  him  in  the  ways  of 
his  appointment."*  It  is  not  my  business  to  dispute  the  fine- 
ness of  this  reasoning.  Let  it  avail  with  whom  it  may  avail. 
Paul,  in  the  words  I  have  quoted,  is  not  reasoning,  but  de- 
claring a  surprising  matter  of  fact,  which  happened  in  his 
own  time,  quite  contrary  to  his  prejudice,  which  was  strong- 
in  favour  of  Israel.  Times  and  sentiments  have  greatly 
changed  since.  I  doubt  not  but  our  modern  teacher  reason- 
ed, according  to  the  general  appearance  of  the  fact  in  his 
time  ;  only  let  the  difference  of  facts,  likened  to  one  another, 
be  well  attended  to.  Thus,  I  am  ready  to  allow  it  consisted 
with  his  experience,  that  his  hearers  generally  succeeded 
best  in  following  the  course  which  anciently  proved  unsuc- 
cessful to  Israel.  Moreover,  his  argument  has  this  advan- 
tage, that  it  removes  all  occasion  of  surprise.  For  what  can 
be  more  natural  or  rational  than  to  say,   If  God,  sometimes, 


to  be  used  in  the  New  Testnment  for  both  ;  at  least  our  translators  have 
thought  so  ;  for  they  sometimes  render  it  by  limring,  and  sometimes  by 
report.  And,  by  either  of  these,  it  may  with  great  propriety  be  said,  that 
failh  comes  to  us ;  for  we  cannot  consider  them  separately.  When  one 
gives  tokens  of  satisfaction  at  the  unexpected  approach  of  agreeable 
music,  as  I  can  be  at  no  loss  to  perceive  what  gives  him  pleasure,  I 
would  think  it  impertinent  to  suspend  his  attention,  by  inquiries  about 
the  motion  produced  in  the  air,  conveying  the  sound,  \nd  its  action  on 
the  organs  of  hearing,  and  thence  on  his  mind,  at  a  time  when  he  is 
much  more  agreeably  entertained. 

We  can  have'no  clearer  notion  of  a  free  gift,  than  hi  the  conveyance 
of  a  comfortable  point  of  knowledge  to  one  who  knows  nothing  at  pre- 
sent but  what  makes  him  unhappy;  especially  if  the  encouraging  truth 
or  report  be  conveyed  by  the  voice  of  him  who  performed  the  generous 
deed  reported ;  By  his  knowledge  sJuiU  my  righteous  servant  justify  many, 
for  lie  sitall  bear  their  iniquities.  And  must  it  not  be  highly  encouraging 
to  one  who  considered  the  Divine  justice  as  an  unsurmountable  objec- 
tion to  his  hope,  to  understand  how  the  unchangeable  God  can  appear 
unexceptionably  just  in  receiving  hiin  into  favour,  guilty  as  he  stands! 
But  what  signifies  all  this,  says  the  proud  devotee,  unless  I  can  find  some 
reason  about  myself  why  the  Deity  should  distinguish  me  as  his  favourite 
beyond  other  men  ?  and  thus  he  treats  the  bare  truth  of  the  gospel  with 
scorn  and  contempt. 

*  See  a  volume  of  sermons  published,  Edinburgh,  1755,  p.  129. 


LET.   Ill]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  85 

out  of  royal  prerogative,  issues  out  a  pardon  to  a  hardened 
criminal,  how  much  more  will  he  be  kind  and  beneficent  to 

the  righteous,  or  those  who  are  seriously  disposed  to  be  so. 

But  if  we  are  for  a  scheme  of  religion  quite  equal,  rational, 
and  suitable  to  our  own  good  dispositions,  we  may  soon  find 
as  able  masters  of  reasoning  as  the  popular  teachers,  who 
will  conduct  us  by  a  shorter  and  more  expeditious  process  of 
reasoning  than  they  generally  do,  without  retarding  our 
course  by  entangling  us  among  texts  of  Scripture ;  and  in 
that  case,  indeed,  we  had  much  better  lay  aside  the  gospel 
altogether.  For  even  some  of  our  best  philosophers,  who 
pretend  to  believe  it,  make  a  most  childish  figure  when  they 
begin  to  measure  it  with  their  scale. 

On  the  whole,  I  think  there  is  more  excuse  to  be  made  for 
the  Jewish  than  for  the  Christian  teachers  in  this  respect. 
The  former  endeavoured  to  lower  the  high  demand  of  the 
divine  law,  so  as  sinful  men  might  have  some  hope  to  come 
up  to  it ;  the  latter  labour  to  set  at  a  distance  the  heavenly 
gift,  which  the  gospel  brings  near  or  home  to  the  most  pro- 
fane, in  order  to  give  full  room  for  the  pride  of  the  devotee 
to  avail  itself  in  making  the  approach,  and  so  as  to  render  the 
matter  as  difficult  to  an  awakened  conscience,  as  it  is  to  love 
righteousness  and  hate  iniquity,  or  to  fulfil  the  law.  So  their 
doctrine  serves  to  elevate  the  proud,  and  to  crush  the  poor 
and  needy :  and,  I  must  say,  it  required  no  small  energy  of 
deceit  to  darken  the  clearest  and  most  comfortable  revelation 
that  ever  God  made  to  men,  to  change  the  gospel  of  the 
glory  of  the  blessed  God  into  a  doctrine  of  self-dependence. 

I  shall  now  close  my  remarks  on  the  zealous  Jews,  by 
taking  notice  of  the  reason  the  Apostle  gives  why  they  came 
short  of  righteousness,  or  acceptance  with  God.  He  tells  us, 
that  while  they  sought  it,  as  ii  loere,  hy  the  works  of  the  laia, 
the//  stumbled  at  that  stiunbling-^toiie ;  as  it  is  written,  Be- 
hold, I  lay  in  Sion  a  stumbling-stone  and  rock  of  offence;  and 
whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed.  They  con- 
sidered the  bare  report  concerning  Christ  crucified,  as  too 
weak  a  bottom  to  stand  on  before  God ;  they  were  disgusted 
at  it,  as  one  would  be  at  the  proposal  to  venture  his  life  on 
the  water  in  a  basket.  They  would  willingly  have  followed 
a  Messiah  that  would  have  given  them  some  employment  in 
the  matter ;  and  they  would  have  given  a  ready  ear  to  him, 
teaching  them  how  they  might  work  the  works  of  God  ;  but 
they  could  not  bear  the  thought,  that  all  their  good  notions 
and  desires  should  be  utterly  set  at  nought ;  so  they  could 
neither  understand  nor  believe  that  Jesus  came  down  from 
8 


86  LETTERS  Olf  [LET.  IV. 

heaven   to   work   the   work   of  God   for   men,  by  himself 
alone. 

The  same  disgust  is  evidently  to  be  seen  still  among  those 
who  have  the  greatest  repute  for  Christian  orthodoxy  and 
piety.  But  if  it  be  necessary  that  I  should  be  still  more  plain, 
I  am  very  willing  to  avoid  all  ambiguity,  and  freely  own,  I 
have  nowhere  observed  the  Jewish  disgust  at  the  bare  truth, 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  the  bare  work  of  Christ,  more 
evident  than  among  the  admirers  of  the  doctrine  of  Messrs. 
Marshall,  Boston,  Erskines,  Whitefield,  Wesley,  and  such 
like.  I  am  far  from  denying,  that  there  are  some  among 
these,  who,  not  knowing  the  depths  of  such  doctrine,  find 
all  their  comfort  in  the  simple  truth ;  even  as  I  am  far  from 
denying,  that  when  the  Messiah  was  born,  there  were  some 
even  among  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  who  waited  for  the 
consolation  of  Israel,  and  avoided  the  pernicious  maxims  of 
their  party. 


I  am,  (fee. 


LETTER  IV 


Dea.r  Sir, 

When  I  thought  of  proceeding  to  a  more  particular  ex- 
amination of  Aspasio's  sentiments,  I  found  it  needful  to  ex- 
plain myself  on  some  points  further  than  I  have  hitherto 
done,  to  prevent  my  being  misunderstood.  I  shall,  there- 
fore, occupy  this  letter  with  reflections  on  Mystery,  on  Rea- 
son, and  on  Spirit. 

ON  MYSTERY. 

As  perhaps  it  may  be  thought  I  have  not  used  this  scrip- 
tural expression  with  sufficient  respect  on  some  occasions,  I 
am  content  to  bestow  some  time  in  considering  what  use  the 
Scripture  makes  of  it,  and  how  it  has  been  used  by  Christian 
teachers. 

Since  Christianity  has  been  formed  into  a  capital  science 


LET.  IV.J  TKERON  AND  ASPASIO.  87 

under  the  name  of  Theology,  as  the  sister  of  Philosophy,  its 
teachers,  despising  the  apostolic  weapons,  as  too  weak  and 
contemptible  to  support  their  cause,  and  give  it  a  creditable 
appearance,  have  borrowed  all  the  arts  of  the  schools  to  ena- 
ble them  to  step  forth  in  a  decent  figure,  on  a  footing  with 
their  cousins  the  philosophers.  Among  other  arts  we  may- 
rank  this  as  one^  that  they  have  made  much  the  like  use  of 
the  word  mystery,  as  their  kinsmen  for  a  long  time  made  of 
occult  quality.  After  they  have  done  their  best  to  accom- 
modate the  Christian  religion  to  the  pride  of  men,  whenever 
they  come  to  a  strait,  they  shelter  themselves  in  the  word 
mystery.  So  that  the  myUeries  of  our  holy  religion,  or  of 
revealed  religion,*  has  become  fixed  style,  and  been  used  as 
a  solemn  phrase  of  sacred  obscurity,  to  hold  at  a  distance  all 
profane  inquirers. But  instead  of  dwelling  on  the  com- 
mon use,  or  rather  gross  abuse  of  this  expression,  let  us  no- 
tice how  it  is  used  in  the  Scripture, 

Upon  a  general  view  of  all  the  passages  where  this  w^ord 
occurs,  it  will  appear,  that  it  is  a  relative  expression,  much 
resembling  ijiterpreiation,  or  the  common  use  of  the  word 
antitype,  and  always  refers  to  some  obscure  hint  that  went 
before,  either  by  word,  thing,  or  action,  of  w4iich  it  is  the  real 
intent  and  meaning.  Every  figurative  or  emblematical 
speech  or  action,  contains  some  secret  meaning  beside  what  is 
first  presented  to  the  senses  ;  and  that  secret  meaning  is  the 
Tfiystery  of  it.  So  that  when  once  the  meaning  is  made  known 
to  me,  I  find  the  figure,  emblem,  or  parable,  to  be  divested 
of  every  idea  of  secrecy,  intricacy,  or  doubtfulness.  When 
one  tells  me  a  mystery,  then,  he  tells  me  a  plain,  clear,  and 
intelligible  truth,  throwing  light  upon  some  obscure  say- 
ing or  action  that  went  before.  And  this  method  of  instruc- 
tion, as  has  been  often  observed,  is,  of  all  others,  the  most 
satisfying  and  delightful  to  the  mind,  as  well  as  the  fittest  to 
awaken  attention.  .  A  parable  may  be  fitly  compared  to  a 
shell  inclosing  a  pearl,  or  a  box  containing  a  jewel ;  when  once 
the  cover  is  opened,  1  am  fully  satisfied  about  the  contents. 
Every  one  of  ^Esop's  fables  contains  a  moral ;  and  that  moral 
is  the  whole  mystery  of  it.  Many  sayings,  things,  and  facts 
in  the  Old  Testament,  contain  a  secondary  or  secret  sense, 
which  the  New  Testament  clearly  unfolds,  and  so  enables  us 


*  According  to  the  common  use  of  the  word  mystery,  it  is  not  ea.sy  to 
answer  the  question  sometimes  put  by  free  Uiinkers,  What  do  we  mean 
by  revealed  mysteries  ? 


88  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

to  know  the  mystery  of  them.  And  when  a  mystery  is  once 
known,  it  is  no  more  secret,  mtricate,  or  doubtful. 

Jesus  Christ  delivered  many  parables  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  he  explained  the  meaning  of  them  to  his 
disciples  ;  because,  said  he,  it  is  given  unto  you  to  know  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  like  manner,  the 
visions  presented  to  the  Apostle  John,  in  the  isle  Patmos,  con- 
tained mysteries  under  them.  I  shall  content  myself  with 
producing  a  specimen.  Rev.  i,  20.  The  mystery  of  the  seven 
stars  which  thou  sawest  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks.  The  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the 
seven  churches :  and  the  seveii  candlesticks  which  thou  sawest, 
are  the  seven  churches.  In  Paul's  epistles,  mystery  alwaj^s 
refers  to  some  ancient  figure.  Christ's  love  to  his  church  was 
prefigured  by  the  first  institution  of  marriage,  so  is  the  mys- 
tery of  it.  The  whole  redeemed  company  out  of  all  nations 
was  prefigured  by,  so  is  the  mystery  of  Israel  after  the  Jiesh. 
And  accordingly,  Paul  affirms  that  all  Israel  shall  be  saved. 
That  Christ's  people,  who  remain  alive  at  his  second  coming, 
shall  not  sltep,  but  be  changed,  was  prefigured  by  the  transla- 
tion of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  and  is  accordingly  called  a  mystery. 
God  made  manifest  in  the  fesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  <fcc.* 
is  the  truth,  spirit,  or  ultimate  meaning,  not  only  of  the  Sche- 
chinah,  but  of  all  the  occasional  appearances  of  God  to  men  : 
so  they  who  worship  God  as  thus  manifested,  worship  him 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  And  this  manifestation  of  God  is  called 
the  great  mystery  of  godliness.  Paul  often  calls  the  plain 
simple  gospel  which  he  preached,  a  mystery,  as  being  the  true 
scope  and  sense  of  many  ancient  types  and  figures ;  so  he  calls 
it  the  mystery  which  hath  been  hid  from  ages  and  generations, 
but  now  is  made  manifest. — Were  it  needful,  I  might  easily 
show  that  the  Greek  fathers  used  the  word  mystery  in  the 
same  sense  with  the  apostles,  as  referring  to  some  type,  sym- 
bol, or  parable ;  even  as  the  Latins  used  in  its  stead  sacra- 
mentum,  in  the  same  sense  also. 

From  what  has  been  said,  then,  it  will  appear,  that  nothing 
can  be  more  foolish  or  absurd,  than  to  join  the  epithets  of 
incomprehensible,  obscure,  or  unintelligible,  to  a  mystery  after 
it  is  declared  :  for  the  plainest  facts  recorded  in  the  gospel  are 

*  Manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  tlte  Spirit.  As  the  former  of  these 
two  phrases  points  to  the  condition  of  Christ  while  under  the  law,  and 
the  latter  to  his  condition  as  raised  from  tlie  dead ;  when  I  have  occasion 
to  make  a  general  reference  to  this  text,  I  shall  content  myself  for  brevi- 
ty's sake,  with  saying,,  God  manifest  in  manhood,  or  any  other  general  ex- 
pression including  the  two-fold  view  of  the  Apostle. 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  89 

the  great  mysteries  manifested  by  it.  The  birth,  death,  and 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  were  prefigured  by  many  types, 
and  are  therefore  mysteries ;  yet  no  facts  can  be  better  attested 
than  these :  and  had  they  not  been  formerly  veiled  under  types, 
figures,  and  parables,  they  had  never  been  called  mysteries 
in  the  New  Testament.  The  calling  of  the  Gentiles  is  a 
mystery  much  accounted  of  in  Paul's  epistles;  yet  it  was  a 
notorious  matter  of  fact,  obvious  to  the  eyes  of  friends  and 
foes,  giving  cause  of  wonder  and  praise  to  the  former,  and  pro- 
voking the  envy  of  the  latter. 

Christians,  then,  have  no  occasion  to  beg  the  peace  of  reason- 
ers,  as  to  the  clearness  and  certainty  of  the  articles  of  their 
creed ;  far  less  to  use  any  mean  arts  to  evade  their  ridicule, 
which  in  the  is^ue  must  only  serve  to  provoke  it  the  more,  by 
giving  some  just  handle  for  it.  Christianity  is,  indeed,  as  it 
pretends  to  be,  a  supernatural  scheme,  so  cannot  be  measured 
by  the  line  of  nature.  This  is  the  sum  of  all  that  its  enemies 
have  to  say  against  it.  Yet  there  is  as  plain,  uniform,  and 
regular  a  connection,  in  all  the  parts  of  this  scheme,  as  in  any 
branch  of  the  course  of  nature.  And  in  general,  it  is  incum- 
bered with  much  fewer,  and  far  less  important  difficulties, 
than  are  daily  found  in  tracing  the  course  of  nature.  It  is 
true,  those  who  hope  to  be  happy  in  following  nature,  find  no 
occasion  for  the  gospel,  and  therefore  must  always  be  objectors 
against  it.  And  it  would  ill  become  us  to  grudge  them  this 
liberty,  while  the  author  of  nature  and  of  the  gospel  suffers 
them. 

Men  have  agreed  to  consider  that  as  the  surest  and  most 
valuable  knowledge,  which  is  gathered  from  often  repeated 
facts  and  experiments;  yet  great  mistakes  have  often  been  made 
in  drawing  wrong  inferences  from  the  plainest  facts.  Here  the 
Christian  creed  has  the  advantage  of  all  other  knowledge,  that 
it  rests  upon  the  surest  facts,  without  the  hazard  of  the  mis- 
takes committed  by  inattentive  or  ignorant  observers. 

All  Divine  revelation  rests  on  supernatural  fiicts.  The 
general  method  by  which  God  has  chosen  to  make  himself 
known  to  men,  has  been  that  which  is  most  suited  to  their 
frame.  Fie  hath  awakened  attention  by  some  supernatural 
appearance,  so  as  to  produce  in  the  mind  of  the  observers,  the 
question  of  surprise.  What  meaneth  this?  Hereupon  he  hath 
always  provided,  by  means  equally  above  the  power  of  na- 
ture, a  clear  and  satisfying  account  of  that  which  occasioned 
surprise,  so  as  the  result  should  be  the  joint  appearance  of 
Divine  wisdom  and  Divine  power  to  the  mind  of  the  ob- 
8* 


90  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

servers.  And  thie  result  has,  in  the  leading-  instances,  been 
contrary  to  the  general  expectations  and  reasonings  of  man- 
kind. We  may  add,  it  was  necessary  this  should  be  the 
case,  if  any  revelation  from  God  was  necessary  to  men  ;  for  if 
the  result  had  been  according  to  the  previous  reasonings  of 
men,  it  could  not  have  been  manifest  that  any  interposhion 
was  made  by  the  author  and  controller  of  nature. 

But  the  truth  is,  those  accounted  the  wiser  part  of  mankind, 
who  lead  the  rest,  see  no  necessity  at  bottom  of  any  Divine  re- 
velation ;  and,  therefore,  it  may  well  be  expected  they  will 
rather  choose  to  continue  reasoning  against  the  clearest  facts, 
than  to  admit  the  doctrine  built  upon  them,  which  displays 
the  glory  of  God,  and  promotes  the  happiness  of  men,  at  the 
rate  of  abasing  human  pride.  Some,  indeed,  of  our  modern 
wise  men  have  thought  it  prudent  to  profess  a  regard  to  re- 
velation, considering  it  as  a  confirmation  of  their  own  conjec- 
tures about  virtue  and  happiness  ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing, 
the  sayings  of  the  ancient  philosophers  ;  for  whatever  honour 
they  pay  to  their  predecessors,  returns  back  again  to  them- 
selves. But  it  is  easy  to  see  through  the  disguise  of  these 
moderns,  while  they  thus  pay  their  public  compliments  to  reve- 
lation, to  avoid  being  marked  with  the  name  of  Infidel,  which 
happens  to  be  odious  among  the  populace,  and  which  in  for- 
mer times  would  have  exposed  them  to  great  inconveniencies 
from  the  resentment  of  the  Christian  teachers.  But  to  pro- 
ceed: 

Whereas,  it  is  often  difficult  to  state  the  connection  or  analo- 
gy of  a  number  of  facts  or  appearances,  upon  which  some 
principle  or  point  of  knowledge  is  to  be  established :  revela- 
tion has  this  advantage,  that  as  the  facts  on  which  it  proceeds 
are  very  numerous,  so  the  connection  of  them,  or  the  unity  of 
design,  is  well  established.  There  is  one  capital  or  central  fact, 
which  collects  the  evidence  of  all  that  went  before,  and  is 
supported  by  all  that  follow,  even  the  resurrection  of  Jesus. 
Here  all  the  lines  of  Divine  revelation  are  united.  So  the 
the  Apostle  Peter  sums  up  to  us  the  evidence  of  revelation 
thus :  We  have  not  followed  cunimigly-devised  fables,  ichen 
loe  made  known  unto  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  but  were  cye.-witnef^scs  of  his  majesty.  For  he 
received  from  God,  the  Father,  honour  and  glory,  when  there 
came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excelle^nt  glory.  This  is 
my  beloved  Son,  in  ichom  I  am  well  pleased.  And  this 
voice  ivhich  came  from  heaven  we  heard,  lohen  we  tvere  ivith 
him  in  the  holy  mount.  And  we  have  the  prophetic  word 
more  firm,  or  more  confirmed,  &c. 


LET.  IV.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  91 

This  Apostle,  in  his  first  epistle,  chap,  i,  11,  tolls  us,  that 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  followed  upon 
them,  were  the  scope  of  all  the  prophets  ;  even  as  Jesus  had 
said  before,  Luke  xxiv,  25,  27. 

On  the  holy  mount,  Peter,  and  two  other  Apostles,  beheld 
the  glory  that  was  to  follow  on  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  when 
they  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty.  What  the  prophets 
had  spoken  concerning  his  resurrection,  could  not  be  com- 
pletely fulfilled,  without  his  being  received  up  into  glory. 
The  three  Apostles  there,  had  a  view  of  him  beforehand,  in  the 
condition  he  was  to  appear  in  after  his  resurrection  ;  they  saw 
him  in  his  glorified  state.  So  Matthew  tells  us,  chap,  xvii,  9, 
Jesus  charged  them,  saying,  tell  the  vision  to  no  man,  uiitil 
the  Son  of  man  be  risen  agai7i  from  the  dead.  And  Luke 
says,  chap,  ix,  36,  They  kept  it  close,  and  told  no  man  in 
those  days  any  one  of  those  things  ichch  they  had  seen.  And 
indeed  they  could  not  make  the  proper  use  of  it,  while  Mark 
tells  us,  chap,  ix,  10,  they  questioned  one  icith  another  lohat 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead  should  mean. 

The  intent  of  this  vision  was  illustrated  to  them,  when 
Jesus,  after  his  resurrection,  was  taken  up,  and  a  cloud*  re- 
ceived him  out  of  their  sight. — It  would  now  appear,  that 
on  the  holy  mount,  they  had  seen  within  the  cloud  that  which 
on  the  day  of  ascension  the  cloud  removed  from  their  sight. 

The  bright  cloud,  or  the  excellent  glory,  from  whence  the 
three  Apostles  heard  the  Father's  voice,  was  the  well  known 
ancient  symbol  of  Divine  presence.  This  cloud  attended  on 
Jesus  appearing  in  majest}',  his  face  shining  as  the  sun,  and 
his  raiment  white  as  the  light.  So  the  Apostles  beheld 
the  same  glory  of  the  Lord  that  had  been  so  often  seen  by 
Moses  and  the  ancient  prophets  ;  or  we  may  rather  say,  they 
beheld  the  ultimate  end  and  perfection  of  all  the  ancient  ap- 
pearances of  the  divine  glory.  Moses  beheld  the  similiiude 
of  the  Lord  when  he  conversed  with  Yiixn  face  to  face.  And 
Ezekiel,  in  the  close  of  his  first  chapter,  describing  to  us  the 
likeness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  calls  it  the  likeness  as  the 
appearance  of  a  mail,  having  brigjitness  round  about.  The 
apostles,  then,  saw  more  than  all  the  ancient  prophets,  when 
they  beheld  the  real  man  Jesus  appearing  in  that  same  glory. 


*  It  i.s  said  concerning  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  Rev.  i,  7,  Behold 

he  Cometh  tcith  clouds.  Thi.s  corresponds  with  what  the  angels  said  at  the 
ascension  of  Jesus,  Acts  i,  11,  Thh  same  Jcsits,ichuh  is  Luhen  upfromijou 
into  heaven,  shall  so  come,  in  like  niajiuer,  as  yf,  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven. 


92  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

which  served  of  old  to  show  forth  the  future  Divine  majesty 
of  the  great  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God.  Thus,  all  the  grand 
descriptions  of  the  Divine  majesty  in  the  psalms,  and  other 
Scriptures,  are  illustrated  to  us ;  as  when  he  is  said  to  cover 
himself  with  light  as  with  a  garment,  and  to  dwell  in  light 
which  no  man  can  approach  unto.  Hence  also  we  may  find 
the  true  reason  why  so  often  mention  is  made,  as  well  of  the 
members  of  the  human  body,  as  of  the  human  passions,  in  the 
descriptions  of  God  in  the  Scripture ;  it  being  the  great  de- 
sign of  the  Deity  to  make  himself  fully  manifest  in  human 
nature. 

When  the  Apostles  saw,  appearing  in  his  glory,  Moses, 
whose  body  was  then  in  the  grave,  and  Elias,  who  had  never 
undergone  the  separation  of  soul  and  body,  they  had  a  view 
of  Jesus  as  Lord  of  the  dead  and  Living;  and  at  the  same 
time  they  had  a  view  of  the  condition  of  saints  raised  from  the 
dead,  having  their  bodies  glorified,  exemplified  in  Elias; 
and  of  the  condition  of  departed  souls  present  with  the  Lord, 
while  absent  from  the  body,  exemplified  in  Moses,  who  ap- 
peared in  glory  as  well  as  Elias.  Of  this  last  condition  Paul 
speaks,  when  he  says,  For  ive  know  that  if  our  earthli/ house 
of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
a7i  house  not  made  tvith  hafids,  eternal  in  the  heavens,  2  Cor. 
V,  1.  He  is  in  that  passage  plainly  speaking  of  Christians 
being  clothed  with  an  house,  when  divested  of  the  tabernacle. 

So  that,  w^hatever  philosophers  have  imagined,  the  Scrip- 
ture does  not  furnish  us  with  any  notion  of  the  human  soul 
subsisting  in  a  state  altogether  unbodied,  or,  to  retain  the 
Apostolic  expression,  unclothed. But  to  proceed  : 

When  they  saw^  the  lawgiver,  who  had  so  often  conversed 
with  him  of  old  in  a  figure,  and  whose  law  was  in  a  special 
manner  pointed  against  every  likeness  of  God  that  men  could 
imagine ;  when  they  saw  the  greatest  succeeding  prophet,  who 
was  distinguished  by  iiis  being  very  jealous  for  the  honour 
of  the  one  God,  who  shares  not  his  glory  with  another :  when, 
I  say,  they  beheld  these  two  eminent  men  attending  upon 
Jesus  in  his  glory,  and  illuminated  thereby,  they  had  an  un- 
deniable proof  that  he  was  truly  God;  that  he  was  the  great 
scope  and  end  of  the  law  given  by  the  former,  and  of  all  the 
zeal  shown  by  the  latter. 

But  it  was  not  left  to  the  Apostles  to  sum  up  the  evidence 
afforded  by  what  they  saw,  and  to  draw  the  necessary  con- 
clusion :  for  the  true  meaning  of  what  they  saw,  was  inti- 
mated to  them  by  what  they  heard.  They  were  taught  to 
know  what  the  excellent  glory  meant,  by  the  voice  which 


LET.    IV.]  THERON   AND   ASPASIO.  93 

proceeded  from  it,  Tins  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
AM  WELL  PLEASED  j  though  this  instruction  had  not  its  full 
effect  upon  them  till  after  the  resurrection,  to  which  it  re- 
ferred. 

As  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  is  the  capital  fact  referred  to 
by  all  the  other  works  of  God,  so  the  voice  which  came  from 
the  excellent  glory,  may,  with  great  propriety,  be  accounted 
the  capital  or  central  saying,  wherein  the  whole  of  Divine 
revelation  is  summed  up,  and  set  before  us  in  one  single  point 
of  view. 

The  subject  of  conversation  to  which  this  voice  referred. 
was  the  death  of  Jesus;  for  Moses  and  Elias  were  talking 
with  him  of  this  event  before  the  voice  came. 

Now,  to  have  a  proper  view  of  the  use  Peter  makes  of 
what  he  then  saw  and  heard,  when  he  says.  We  made  known 
unto  yon  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
as  eye  and  ear  witnesses;  it  is  necessary  that  we  reflect  on 
the  state  of  the  controversy  betwixt  the  apostles  and  the  Jews 
concerning  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

The  ancient  prophets  who  foretold  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah, described  him  often  as  a  glorious  and  powerful  king. 
Such  a  king  the  Jews  expected  in  their  own  sense  of  glory 
and  power:  and  not  finding  in  Jesus  any  thing  answerable 
to  their  expectations,  they  still  affirmed  that  the  promised 
Messiah  was  not  yet  come.  The  apostles,  on  the  other  hand 
maintained,  that  he  was  come,  and  that  Jesus  was  he.  But 
they  could  not,  in  any  consistency  with  the  prophecies  make 
known  the  comiyig  of  the  Messiah,  or  make  it  evident  that  he 
was  really  come,  without  at  the  same  time,  making  known 
his  power  and  majesty.  Without  this  the  Jewish  objections 
were  unanswerable.  The  apostles,  then,  were  enabled  by  the 
vision  on  the  mount,  which  coincided  with  what  they  saw  on 
the  day  of  ascension,  to  make  known  the  power  of  the  Mes- 
siah manifest  in  Jesus,  as  corresponding  exactly  with  the 
ancient  prophecies,  though  very  different  from  the  Je  ish 
apprehensions  of  it.  For  whereas,  the  Jews  expected  the 
Messiah  would  be  dignified  with  earthly  power  and  glory, 
the  apostles  made  known  the  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as 
heavenly,  and  as  the  power  of  an  endless  life.  And  we  may 
add,  that  what  the  apostles  saw  and  heard,  was  a  sure  pledge 
of  his  second  appearance,  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power, 
and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  according  as  he  de- 
clared before  the  Jewish  rulers.  But  Peter  speaks  of  this 
by  itself,  in  the  close  of  his  second  epistle. 


94  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV 

The  great  reason  why  the  Jews  stumbled  or  were  offended 
at  Jesus,  and  why  they  could  not  own  him  as  the  true  Mes- 
siah, was  the  weakness  of  his  appearance,  and  more  espe- 
cially his  shameful  death  on  the  cross,  when  he  was  crucified 
in  iceakness,  without  any  interposition  of  power  to  save  him 
from  death.  On  this  account  they  held  him  in  the  greatest 
contempt.  But  on  this  very  account;  he  received  from  God 
the  Father  honour  and  glory.  Here  is  manifest  the  great 
difference  betwixt  the  taste  of  God  and  that  of  men.  When 
Peter  once  showed  his  aversion  to  the  sufferings  of  his  Lord, 
from  the  most  plausible  of  all  pretexts,  namely,  regard  to  his 
honour,  he  received  this  severe  rebuke,  Get  thee  behind  me, 
Satan,  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me ;  for  thou  savourest  not 
the  thijigs  that  he  of  God,  hut  those  that  be  of  men. 

The  excellent  glory  which  shined  on  the  person  of  Jesus, 
as  well  as  the  voice  which  proceeded  from  it,  plainly  respect- 
ed his  death  on  the  cross,  where  his  righteousness  was  com- 
pleted. When  Jesus,  at  his  baptism,  undertook  to  fulfil  all 
righteousness,  the  Divine  approbation  of  his  undertaking  was 
expressed  from  heaven  in  the  same  words.  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  whoni  I  am  ivell  pleased ;  and  the  Spirit  of 
God  descended  upon  him  in  the  form  of  the  harmless  dove, 
qualifying  him  for  suffering,  and  filling  him  with  the  spirit 
of  patience  unto  death :  but  now,  when  the  Divine  approba- 
tion of  his  finished  work  is  set  before  us,  the  Spirit  of  God 
rests  upon  him  as  the  spirit  of  glory.  He  appeared,  then,  in 
weakness  and  patience  ;  now  he  appears  in  power  and  glory. 
We  saw  him  then  animated  to  endure  sufferings ;  now  we 
behold  him  as  comforted  and  triumphing  after  them.  Then 
the  heaven  was  opened,  and  a  prospect  of  glory  afforded  at  a 
distance;  in  consequence  of  which,  Jesus  continued  patient 
unto  death  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him:  now  he  is  re- 
ceived up  into  glory ;  the  glory  surrounds  his  person,  and 
thence  the  joyful  sound  is  uttered.  Now  is  answered  his  ex- 
pectation, expressed  in  these  words,  Psal.  xvi,  1 1  ;  Thou  tcili 
show  me  the  path  of  life :  in  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy, 
at  thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 

Paul,  speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  says,  he  was 
raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father.  Here  it 
is  that  the  fullest  view  of  God  is  to  be  had.  All  the  Divine 
perfections  are  summed  up  in  goodness,  or  love :  for  God  is 
love.  If  we  say,  then,  that  he  is  infinitely  good,  we  must  at 
the  same  time  say,  that  he  is  as  opposite  to  all  evil  as  he  is 
good;  even  as  the  purest  light  is  to  the  grossest  darkness. 
So  we  find  his  wrath,  which  is  nothing  else  but  the  opposi- 


LET.  IV.]  THF.RON  AND  ASPaSIO.  95 

tion  of  perfect  goodness  or  love  to  all  evil  or  malignity,  is 
pointed  forth  to  us  in  Scripture  under  the  notion  of  jealousy, 
the  inseparable  attribute  of  love  ;  at  least  we  may  say,  vi^here 
there  is  no  love,  there  can  be  no  jealousy.  But  however 
necessary  the  punishment  of  sin  be  to  support  the  dignity  of 
the  Divine  character,  and  to  show  us  what  God  is  not ;  we 
could  never  have  known  what  he  is,  unless  an  adequate  ob- 
ject had  been  found  for  the  fulness  of  his  delight  and  com- 
placence to  rest  upon :  so  as  what  Paul  calls  {cvioKia  rm 
ayadiouvvrii)  the  good  pleasure  of  goodness,  might  be  manifest 
to  men.  From  Jesus  Christ  raised  from  the  dead,  after  suf- 
fering the  Divine  wrath  for  sin,  the  apostles  bring  us  this 
message,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all ; 
that  the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true  light  now  shineth. 
As  the  preternatural  darkness  attending  the  death  of  Christ, 
was  a  fit  sign  of  the  Divine  frown  against  sin,  which  made 
him  exceeding  sorrowful  unto  death  ;  so  the  glory  into  which 
he  was  received  after  his  sufferings,  was  a  fit  sign  of  the  Di- 
vine complacence  in  the  righteousness  which  he  finished  in 
his  death. 

This  glory,  then,  is  the  appearance  o'  the  Divine  smile  of 
approbation  and  delight,  and  the  voice  is  the  language  of  it. 
When  God  smiles  or  lifts  up  the  light  of  his  countenance, 
he  says,  /  ajn  well  pleased.  The  testimony  of  the  apostles, 
concerning  God  well  pleased  in  his  beloved  Son,  conveys  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth  the  knowledge  of  what  they  saw. 
Every  one  who  believes  their  testimony,  or  is  persuaded  that 
it  is  true,  has  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ,  even  as  the  apostles  had  the  sight  of  it  And 
this  knowledge  gives  light,  or  a  ray  of  good  hope  toward 
God  in  the  heart,  where  nothing  but  darkness  or  despair 
look  place  before.  So  all  who  have  this  knowledge,  are 
said  to  be  called  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  lig-ht. 

The  voice  from  the  excellent  glory  shows  us  the  real  in- 
tent of  all  the  expressions  of  divine  satisfaction  used  concern- 
ing the  ancient  sacrifices ;  and  that  God  had  no  regard  to 
them,  but  as  they  piefigured  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.  So  Paul,  speaking  of  them  in 
contrast  of  the  true  sacrifice,  quotes  the  words  adapted  for  the 
Messiah  in  the  40th  psalm,  to  show  that  God  had  no  regard 
to  them  considered  by  themselves,  Heb.  x,  6,  7.  In  burnt- 
offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin  (ovk  £v6oKr,aai)  thou  wast  not  well 
pleased  :  then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come,  &c.  And  while  he  sets  be- 
fore us  the  ofliering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  true 


96  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

sacrifice,  in  opposition  to  the  former,  he  says,  He  taketh  away 
the  first  that  he  may  establish  the  secoyid.  The  sacrifice  of 
Jesus  Christ,  then,  is  distinguished  from  all  others,  by  the  pe- 
culiar testimony  of  the  Divine  deiight  therein,  /  am  well 
pleased. 

The  glory  v/hich  shines  on  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  united 
splendour  of  justice  and  mercy  in  perfection.  Till  he  appear- 
ed, we  could  only  see  the  dark  side  of  justice  and  judgment 
pursuing  sin  unto  death ;  but  in  him  we  see  the  fulfilment  of 
the  ancient  promise,  Psal.  xciv,  15.  Judgment  shall  return 
unto  righteousness.  It  now  returns  from  the  pursuit  of  sin, 
after  having  abolished  it  in  the  death  of  Christ,  with  a  smiling 
aspect  to  exert  its  utmost  in  rewarding  unspotted  righteous- 
ness. Yet,  in  him  we  behold  a  glory  superior  to  that  of 
equity  and  judgment.  All  our  notions  of  equity  must  be 
measured  by  the  divine  law.  Now,  according  to  the  law, 
which  said,  The  man  which  doth  these  things  shall  live  by 
them,  and  made  no  provision  for  one  man's  being  benefited 
by  the  righteousness  of  another.  Jesus  Christ  could  only 
obtain  life  for  himself  alone  by  his  own  obedience :  but,  ac- 
cording to  that  sovereign  grace  which,  acting,  not  contrary 
to  law,  but  beyond  the  line  of  it,  and  high  above  it,  placed 
him,  who  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  under 
the  laAv,  as  the  substitute  of  the  guilty,  to  redeem  them  by 
being  made  a  curse  for  them,  he  receives  power  over  all  flesh, 
to  bestow  eternal  life  on  as  many  as  were  given  him  to  be 
redeemed  by  him. 

While  we  thus  view  him  as  the  representative  of  sinners, 
we  behold  him  rewarded  according  to  grace,  as  well  as  ac- 
cording to  equity.  So  we  find  him,  often  in  the  Psalms, 
praying  for  deliverance,  according  to  justice,  and  according 
to  mercy.  It  is  impossible  to  find  a  proper  similitude  for 
this.  Yet,  if  a  great  king  should  send  his  only  son  to  a  dis- 
tant country,  to  deliver  an  enslaved  people,  and,  then,  reward 
his  successful  fatigues  with  such  abundant  wealth,  as  should 
enable  him  to  be  no  less  conspicuous  among  them  for  his 
bounty  in  spreading  the  blessings  of  peace,  than  he  had  been 
for  his  patience  and  valour  in  sustaining  the  calamities  of 
war ;  would  it  not  be  making  a  very  poor  and  low  account 
of  this  reward,  should  we  only  say,  that  the  king,  who  be- 
stowed it,  had  done  a  very  just  and  equitable  action,  seeing 
no  less  was  adequate  to  the  service  of  his  son  ?  Would  not 
such  an  action  naturally  extort  from  our  hearts  a  higher  en- 
comium? While  we  approved  his  equity,  we  behooved  to 
admire  his  goodness,  and  say,  that,  in  bestowing  the  reward, 


LET.    IV.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  97 

he  had  crowned  and  perfected  the  royal  bounty,  the  unde- 
served kindness,  which  began  to  appear  in  the  sending  of  his 
son.  We  behooved  to  say,  that  both  the  services  and  the 
reward  came  of  mere  mercy  and  compassion  to  the  once  un- 
happy people.  So  the  fulness  of  the  Divine  grace  is  bestow- 
ed upon  Jesus  Christ ;  yet  he  may,  with  the  greatest  proprie- 
ty, call  it  my  grace,  as  being  found  worthy  to  inherit  it  all. 

The  Divine  glory,  then,  according  to  the  shortest  and  most 
comprehensive  description  of  it,  is  that  of  grace  reigning 
through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  Or,  to  join  some  images  used  to  the  same  purpose, 
we  may  say,  The  throne  of  God  is  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
righteousness  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  or  establish- 
ment of  his  throne.  So  when  the  time  is  spoken  of,  when 
the  Divine  glory  should  dwell  among  men,  Psal.  Ixxxv,  the 
description  runs  thus,  Mercy  and  truth  are  met  together, 
righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other.  Here  are 
verified  the  ancient  names  given  to  the  emblematical  glory, 
such  as,  the  beauty  of  Jehovah,  and  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
So  when  they  praised  the  beauty  of  holiness,  they  said,  Praise 
ye  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 

We  may  take  this  opportunity  to  observe,  that  the  first 
approach  of  the  divine  grace  to  men,  is  made  by  presenting 
to  their  view  the  gift  of  righteousness.  So,  in  the  foremen- 
tioned  psalm,  where  the  procession  of  the  salvation  of  God  to 
men  is  spoken  of,  it  is  said,  Righteousness  shall  go  before 
him.  Our  first  notion  of  grace  must  arise  from  beholding 
the  gift  bestowed.  Hence,  we  infer  the  gracious  disposition 
of  the  giver.  So  Paul,  Rom.  v,  speaks  of  these  as  insepara- 
ble. He  first  mentions  the  free  gift  by  itself,  then  the  grace 
of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace ;  and  they  which  receive  abun- 
dance of  grace,  and  of  the  gift  of  righteousness,  shall  reign 
in  life  by  07ie,  Jesus  Christ.  All,  then,  who  know  the  free 
gift,  or  are  persuaded  that  the  justifying  righteousness  is 
already  wrought,  know  the  grace  of  God  in  truth.  To  such, 
Peter,  in  the  close  of  his  epistle,  says,  /  have  loritten  briefly, 
exhorting  and  testifying,  that  this  is  the  true  grace  of  God 
wherein  ye  stand  ;  plainly  intimating,  that  they  were  in  haz- 
ard of  beinir  deceived  by  counterfeits  of  that  grace. 

Therefore,  when  we  hear  men,  Avho  are  pained  about  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  taught  to  expect  and  pray  for  grace  to 
help  them  to  convictions,  faith,  repentance,  or  any  thing  else, 
in  order  to  their  finding  relief  in  Christ's  righteousness,  we 
may  be  very  sure,  that  this  is  not  the  true  grace  of  God,  but 
9 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  98 

the  false,  or  a  corruption  of  the  true.  And  we  may  be  as  sure, 
that  God  will  regard  no  prayer  but  that  of  faith.  The  popu- 
lar preachers,  themselves,  finding  some  difficulty  here,  to  re- 
concile the  self-justifying  labour  to  Scripture  language,  incHne 
to  talk  to  us  of  some  preliminary  faith,  as  necessary  to  intro- 
duce the  principal  faith,  that  is,  a  faith  in  God's  ability  to 
work  faith  in  us.  And  thus,  after  their  usual  manner,  they 
set  the  difficulty  one  step  farther  off,  drawing  a  curtain  over 
what  is  not  fit  to  bear  the  light ;  for  if  the  question  were  pro- 
perly urged,  instead  of  one  preliminary  act,  we  should  find 
occasion  for  an  endless  series  of  acts  of  faith.  But  not  to  in- 
sist on  this  at  present : 

The  Divine  voice  directed  peculiarly  to  Jesus,  distinguish- 
ing him  from  all  others,  was  an  explicit  and  full  decision  of  the 
whole  controversy  betwixt  him  and  the  Jews.  When  he  was 
on  the  cross,  the  Jews  insulted  him  in  this  manner :  He  trusted 
in  God,  let  him  deliver  him  noio,  if  he  ivill  have  him  :  for  he 
said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God.  But  now  he,  who  looking  down 
from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were 
any  that  did  understand  and  seek  God,  returned  this  verdict, 
upon  the  general  survey,  There  is  none  that  doth  good,  no 
not  one,  declares  his  full  satisfaction  in  Jesus,  espouses  his 
character  as  his  own,  and  vindicates  all  his  claims.  Did  Jesus 
lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and,  addressing  the  Father,  say,  / 
have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth  ;  I  have  finished  the  work 
ivhich  thou  gavest  me  to  do.  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou 
me  1  &c.  The  Father  approves,  and  bestows  the  requested 
glory.  Did  Jesus  on  the  cross  say,  It  is  finished  ?  Now  we 
may  consider  the  Father  as  saying,  in  the  most  solemn  form, 
Amen.  In  sum,  the  voice  proceeding  from  the  glory,  is  no  less 
than  the  motto  of  the  broad  seal  of  heaven,  stampingthe  person, 
character,  works,  and  words  of  Jesus,  as  all  truly  divine,  rati- 
fying every  word  he  spoke  as  infallible  truth,  and  sustaining 
all  his  works  as  perfect ;  or,  to  say  all  in  one  word,  we  may 
use  the  expression  of  the  Apostle  John,  chap,  vi,  27,  {rovrov  yap 
i)  Trarirrip  £a.ppayio£v,  b  Qeog)  For  him  the  Father  hath  sealed,  God. 

When  we  think  of  the  voice  directed  to  Jesus  as  a  public 
person,  or  a  representative,  we  must  consider  it  as  no  less 
powerful  to  convey  the  life  which  lies  in  the  Divine  favour, 
to  all  supernatu rally  connected  with  him,  than  the  ancient 
sanction  of  the  law  given  to  Adam,  Thou  shall  surely  die, 
was  to  convey  death  to  all  naturally  connected  with  him. — 
The  angels,  giving  glory  to  God  on  the  prospect  that  was 
opened  by  the  birth  of  Jesus,  conclude,  or,  we  may  say,  sum 


tET.   IV.]  THEUON  AND  ASPASIO.  99 

up  their  ascription  o(  praise  in  these  words,  {ev  aveftioiron  cvSoKtay) 
Good  pleasure  in  men.  So  likewise  it  is  said  of  the  church, 
who  borrows  her  name  from  him  who  loved  her,  and  gave 
himself  for  her,  that  she  should  be  called  Hephzi-bah,  Is.  Ixii, 
4.  What  a  grand  and  engaging  view  is  here  presented  to  us 
of  the  Divine  glory,  when  we  find  it  is  all  summed  up  in 
philanthropy,  or  complacence  in  men! 

By  the  speaking  glory,  we  find  the  blessing  mentioned  in 
the  promise  to  Abraham,  which  comprehends  all  the  follow- 
ing great  and  precious  promises,  now  pronounced  and  bestow- 
ed on  the  person  of  Jesus.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  convey- 
ance of  the  blessing,  takes  very  particular  notice  of  the  words 
recorded  by  Moses  concerning  it ;  and  he  carefully  marks 
the  peculiar  direction  it  bare  to  Jesus  Christ,  Gal.  iii,  16. 
Noic  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises  made.  He 
sailh  not,  AjuI  to  seeds,  as  of  many  ;  but  as  of  one,  And  to 
thy  seed,  which  is  Christ,  The  very  mention  of  blessing,  in 
the  promise  to  Abraham,  implied,  that  men  were,  then,  ex- 
posed to  the  curse  or  displeasure  of  God,  for  want  of  a  righte- 
ousness. And  we  find  that  what  Abraham  believed,  was 
imputed  to  him  for  righteousness. 

But  the  law  of  Moses,  which  came  after  the  promise,  set 
forth  more  strongly  than  the  natural  conscience,  the  extent  of 
the  curse,  as  well  as  the  necessary  terms  of  acceptance  with 
God,  or  the  righteousness  requisite  to  obtain  the  blessing. 
We  find  the  scope  of  the  law  often  set  before  us  in  language 
to  this  effect :  PsaL  xxiv,  4,  5,  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and 
a  pure  heart ;  who  hath  not  lift  up  his  soul  unto  vanity,  nor 
sworn  deceitfully  :  he  shall  receive  the  blessing  from  the 
Lord,  The  Saviour  of  the  world  came  under  this  law,  where 
the  condemning  power  of  sin  was  most  strongly  evinced,  as 
well  as  the  perfection  of  obedience  most  peremptorily  insisted 
upon,  that  so  his  righteousness,  arising  forth  to  the  view  of 
men  from  the  severest  trial,  might,  like  gold  from  the  fur- 
nace, shine  forth  with  the  most  unexceptionable  splendour  and 
dignity.  Paul  gives  us  his  paraphrase  on  the  promise  to 
Abraham,  while  he  declares  its  accomplishment  when  he 
says,  Gal.  iii,  13,  14,  "Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us;  that  the  blessing 
of  Abraham  might  come  on  the  nations  through  Jesus  Christ; 
that  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith." 
Righteousness  being  only  found  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  substi- 
tute for  the  guilty,  to  him  alone  the  blessing  has  respect ;  in 
him  alone  God  declares  himself  well  pleased.     The  blessing 


100  LETTERS  ON  TET.    IV. 

rests  only  on  his  righteousness,  and  follows  it  wherever  it 
goes.  To  whomsoever  it  extends,  the  blessing  is  also  con- 
veyed. 

In  vain  shall  any  sinner  expect  to  find  about  himself  any 
reason  why  God  should  be  well  pleased  with  him,  or  even 
better  pleased  with  him  than  with  others.  In  vain  shall  he 
pray  to  God  for  grace  to  enable  him  to  find  any  such  reason. 
In  vain  shall  he  expect  to  hear  one  syllable  more  from  God, 
to  encourage  him  to  draw  nigh  to  him,  than  that  he  is  well 
pleased  in  his  beloved  Son;  that  Jehovah  is  well  pleased 
for  his  righteousness  sake.  He  who  is  persuaded,  that  Christ 
hath  done  enough  to  procure  the  Divine  good  pleasure  for 
the  guiltiest  of  mankind,  loves  that  truth,  and  counts  all 
things  loss  for  the  excellent  knowledge  conveyed  by  it.  He 
who  is  not  satisfied  with  this,  is  disaffected  to  that  wherein 
the  fulness  of  the  Divine  delight  rests.  He  says  in  his  heart, 
"  I  do  not  believe  that  Christ  hath  done  enough ;  I  do  not 
believe  that  God  is  fully  placated  by  what  he  hath  done,  un- 
less I  also  can  find  some  reason  why  the  Divine  favour  should 
bear  a  more  peculiar  direction  to  me  than  to  others."  Thus 
it  is  that  men  give  the  lie  to  God,  while  they  believe  not  the 
record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son.'  And  must  not  the  jealousy 
of  God  burning  favour  of  his  sole  delight,  and  against  all 
disafiection  to  it  ?  For,  say  the  apostles,  our  God  is  a  con- 
auming  fire. 

When  the  apostles  bare  witness,  that  the  blessing  contained 
in  the  promise  to  Abraham,  which  includes  all  the  following 
promises,  was  bestowed  on  Jesus  Christ,  they  could  with 
great  propriety  declare,  "  All  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are 
yea,  and  in  him  amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God  by  us."  All 
the  following  promises  served  to  illustrate  and  show  forth  the 
extent  of  that  capital  one,  in  a  great  variety  of  views.  So 
when  we  think  of  the  glory  which  the  apostles  saw  and 
heard,  we  may  Avell  say,  What  good  thing  can  be  wanting, 
where  the  Divine  complacence  wholly  rests  ?  Did  that  ques- 
tion, concerning  God,  fill  our  minds  with  the  most  fearful 
forebodings,  "  Who  knowcth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?" 
Did  the  inspired  answer,  "  Even  according  to  thy  fear,  so  is 
thy  wrath,"  complete  our  despair,  by  assuring  us,  that  it 
came  nothing  short  of  the  deepest  impression  of  fear  that  his 
power  to  avenge  can  make  upon  us?  Was  our  despair  rati- 
fied, by  hearing  these  words,  "  He  is  in  one  mind,  and  who 
can  turn  him  ?"  And  shall  it  give  us  no  comfort  to  hear  the 
apostles  demonstrating,  that  the  Divine  anger  hath  proceeded 
to  its  utmost  extent,  and  found  a  boundary,  from  which  no 


LET.   IV.]  THEKON   AND    ASPASIO.  101 

objection  can  be  drawn  against  its  infinite  extent?  Seeing  we 
can  no  more  measure  the  dignity  of  the  suflerer,  than  the  ma- 
jesty of  the  avenger ;  shall  it  give  us  no  comfort  to  hear,  that 
what  seemed  the  dark  side  of  the  character  of  God,  even 
judgment  against  sin,  now  rests  for  a  light  to  the  nations  ?  so 
as  we  might  affirm,  with  the  greatest  certainty,  that  in  him 
is  no  darkness  at  all  ;  and  at  the  same  time  be  assured,  that 
with  him  there  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning: 
though,  in  order  to  our  knowing  his  character,  it  is  necessary 
that  one  part  of  his  works  appear  before  the  other  ;  even  as  it 
was  necessary,  that  the  earth  should  be  first  created  a  dark 
confused  mass,  that  he  might  appear,  by  his  working,  the 
God  not  of  darkness  and  confusion,  but  of  light  and  order. 

I  do  not  intend  at  present  to  take  a  general  view  of  the  pro- 
mises which  follow  that  to  Abraham  ; — but  when  we  read 
such  passages  as  these.  Is.  Ivii,  15  ;  Thus  saith  the  high  and 
lofty  One  thoA  inhabiteth  eternity,  ivhose  name  is  Holy,  I 
dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place  ;  with  him  also  that  is  of  a 
contrite  and  humble  spirit,  &c.  and  chap.  Ixvi,  1,2;  thus  saith 
the  Lord,  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  a7id  the  earth  is  my  foot- 
stool ;  where  is  the  house  that  ye  build  unto  me  ?  and  where  is 
the  place  of  my  rest  ?  For  all  those  things  hath  mine  hand 
made,  and  all  those  things  hath  been,  saith  the  Lord  ;  but  to 
this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  con- 
trite spirit,  arul  trembleth  at  my  woxd ;  does  not  the  voice 
which  came  from  the  excellent  glory  to  Jesus,  readily  occur 
to  our  thoughts  ?  And  must  it  not  yield  much  more  solid 
comfort  to  the  self-condemned,  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  this 
view,  than  to  be  urged  by  the  popular  doctrine,  to  the  hard 
labour  of  squeezing  at  their  own  hearts,  in  order  to  extract 
thence  some  one  or  other  of  the  qualifications  included  in  the 
promises  ?  Many  passages  in  the  prophets  big  with  comfort 
to  the  desperate,  have  been  abused,  to  encourage  men  in  this 
fruitless  labour ;  and  we  may  add,  almost  the  whole  book  of 
Psalms  which  were  originally  intended  to  set  before  us  the 
sufierings  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  following  glory,  as  Jesus 
himself  declares.  If  we  give  heed  to  many  popular  treatises, 
we  are  left  to  understand  the  far  greater  part  of  the  Psalms, 
as  taken  up  with  descriptions  of  the  ebbings  and  flowings  of 
the  pride  of  the  devotee  :  we  are  left  to  the  poor  and  insipid 
employment  of  singing  these  in  the  grandest  part  of  divine 
service;  the  most  sublime  matter  of  song  being  removed  far 
from  our  thoughts,  while  the  very  words  pregnant  with  it  are 
in  our  mouths. 

9* 


102  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

Now  that  the  symbols  of  the  Divine  presence  are  no 
where  to  be  found  in  any  grove,  mountain,  tabernacle,  or 
temple  on  the  earth,  but  rest  on  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  in 
heaven;  we  have  a  clear  document,  that  the  seat  of  worship 
is  changed,  and  that  where  he  is,  there  is  the  house  of  prayer 
for  all  nations.  Wherever  the  glory  resided  of  old,  there 
God  was  said  to  put  his  name ;  and  thither  all  sacrifice  was 
to  be  brought,  and  all  worship  directed. 

Many  great  things  were  spoken,  many  expressions  of  the 
divine  delight  uttered,  with  regard  to  the  place  of  the  divine 
residence ;  but  we  must  say  the  same  thing  of  these,  as  of 
those  uttered  concerning  the  ancient  sacrifices.  When  we 
hear  such  words  as  these,  Psal.  cxxxii,  13,  14;  The  Lord 
hath  chosen  Zion ;  he  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation. 
This  is  7)17/ rest  for  ever:  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  de- 
sired it ;  they  lose  all  meaning,  except  when  referred  to  the 
body  of  Jesus ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  emboldens  us  to  say,  as 
absolutely  and  with  as  little  reserve,  that  the  Most  High 
dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,  as  that  he  taketh 
no  pleasure  to  drink  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats.  In  the 
temple  of  Solomon,  at  the  height  of  its  grandeur,  there  was 
only  a  shadow  of  what  was  to  be  found  bodily  or  really  in 
Christ ;  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
bodily. 

Accordingly,  Christ  tells  the  woman  of  Samaria,  that  the 
time  was  at  hand,  when  there  should  be  no  occasion  for  dis- 
puting what  was  the  proper  worshiping-place  on  the  earth, 
seeing  the  spirit*  and  truth  was  now  to  take  place  of  all  the 


*  John  iv,  24,  rivjii/ia  6  Otoe.  It  does  not  appear  that  Jesus  here  in- 
tended, as  some  think,  to  furnish  the  woman  with  a  metaphysical  idea  of 
spiritual  substance  abstracted  from  matter ;  yea,  the  Scripture  nowhere 
gives  us  any  idea  of  spirit,  but  as  acting  in  some  place  or  body.  Nor 
does  it  appear,  as  others  apprehend,  that  he  is  here  reasoning  with  her 
about  the  Deity  of  that  Divine  person  called  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  is 
evidently  instructing  her  about  the  character  of  God,  as  where  he  delights 
to  dwell,  and  manifest  his  presence;  where  he  is  to  be  approached  to, 
and  found  propitious.  And  he  gives  her  to  understand,  that  the  true 
character  of  God,  was  the  Spirit  oY  what  the  Jews  and  Samaritans  con- 
tended about;  and  tliat  this  Spirit  was  soon  to  be  fully  exhibited,  and 
had  even  now  already  begun  to  appear  in  view,  viz.  in  his  own  person, 
vvilh  whom  she  wfis  then  conversing.  Without  minding,  then,  the  nice- 
ties of  those  who  contend  ai)out  the  order  wherein  the  Greek  words 
ought  to  be  translated,  as  whether  we  should  say,  God  is  Spirit,  or  The 
Spirit  is  God;  we  may  warrantably  conclude  the  sense  to  be,  that  the 
true  and  full  exhibition  of  the  Divine  character  and  presence  was  only  to 
be  found  in  the  person  of  the  ?.Iessiah.  In  support  of  this  it  is  observa- 
ble, that  spirit  and  truth  are  used  in  this  passage  as  words  of  like  import, 


LET.   IV.]  THERUX   AND  ASPASIO  103 

ancient  appearances  of  God,  which  at  any  thne  occasioned 
one  place  to  be  deemed  more  holy  than  another.  In  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  we  find  the  earthly  tabernacle,  ser- 
vice, and  priesthood,  set  aside  to  give  place  to  the  truth  and 
substance  of  all  these  ancient  shadows.  The  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  according  to  the  Divine  prediction,  concurred  with 
the  doctrine  of  the  apostles  to  abolish  them.  Christ,  then,  is 
the  only  true  tabernacle,  minister  of  the  sanctuary,  altar,  sa- 
crifice, priest,  &c.,  to  be  acknowledged  by  all  Christians  who 
hear  the  apostles,  and  who  maintain  with  thrm,  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ  come  in  the  flesh.  They  who  hear  the  apostles, 
forsake  the  shadows,  because  the  substance  is  come.  They 
who  more  or  less  revive  the  use  of  the  shadows,  so  far  deny 
that  the  substance  is  come ;  they  in  effect  deny  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ  come  in  the  flesh,  while  they  seek  to  establish  what 
he  came  in  the  flesh  to  abolish,  and  zealously  adhere  to  those 
things  whose  very  use  was  to  declare  that  he  was  not  yet 
come. 

True  Christians  then  agree  with  the  Apostles  in  saying, 

illustrating  each  other.  For  if  the  Spirit  and  ultimate  scope  of  the  Divine 
abode,  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  had  not  been  manifested,  the  grand 
things  spoken  concerning  that  temple  would  not  have  been  verified.  So 
that  the  Apostle  John's  saying,  in  his  first  epistle,  may  very  properly,  as 
well  as  agreeably  to  his  sense,  be  applied  here,  to  irvtv^a  csiv  tj  aXrjdeia, 
The  Spirit  is  the  Truth. 

They  who  worship  God  as  thus  manifested,  worship  him  in  spirit  and 
in  truth.  And  by  all  the  tokens  that  God  gave  of  his  temporary  presence 
in  the  earthly  temple,  he  was  seeking  such  to  icorship  him.  To  iralk  in  the 
spirit,  or  after  the  spirit,  and  to  walk  in  the  truth,  are  expressions  of  the 
same  import  in  the  New  Testament.  They  who  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus, 
are  said  to  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  by  Paul ;  who  hereby  encourage  the 
Philippians  to  consider  themselves  as  the  true  circumcision,  while  they 
had  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  and  did  not  hanker  after  the  peculiarities 
wherein  the  Jewish  nation  gloried.  The  same  Apostle,  speaking  of  the 
.«pirit  and  scope  veiled  under  the  Mosaic  institutions,  says,  Now  tlie  Lord 
is  that  Spirit. 

To  sum  up  what  has  been  said,  the  great  design  of  the  Deity  from  the 
beginning,  according  to  all  the  Scriptures,  was,  to  make  himself,  iiis  cha- 
racter, and  attributes,  fully  visible  to  his  creatures  in  a  perfect  image, 
losing  nothing  of  the  original  in  the  representation.  The  most  full  and 
grand  idea  of  the  object  of  worship  that  ever  was,  or  will  be,  presented  to 
the  thoughts  of  angels  or  men,  is  that  of  a  glorified  man  exkrcising 
AND  Dispi.vviNG  EVKRY  DiviffE  PERFECTION.  All  who,  in  Worshiping, 
have  not  their  mind  fixed  on  this  object,  may  very  warrantably  be  said  to 
worship  tJieij  knoic  not  tchat. 

On  this  occasir)n  can  one  avoid  exclaiming  ? How  dispiriting,  how- 
debasing  to  human  nature,  is  every  scheme  of  virtue  and  happiness,  but 
the  Christian,  whicli  not  only  with  swr/j  certainty  exalts  it  so  high,  but  also 
opens  for  the  basest  of  the  sons  of  Adam,  the  prospect  of  being  conformed 
in  glory  and  blessedness  to  the  Son  ol'tlie  Highest.' 


104  LETTERS  OX  [LET.  IV. 

Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  come  in 
the  flesh,  is  of  God.  And  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God :  and  this 
is  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  &c.  The  apostolic  creed  is  sum- 
med up  in  this,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ ;  and,  says  John,  Who 
is  a  liar,  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  1  The 
great  antichrist  foretold  by  the  apostles,  has  now  appeared ; 
yet,  at  no  time  has  he  refused  to  put  these  two  words  tog-ether, 
and  say,  Jesus  is  the  Christ.  But  he  denies  the  apostolic 
import  of  them,  and  speaks  and  acts  in  many  respects  as  if  the 
Messiah  were  not  yet  come  :  so  he  is  a  liar,  and  may  be  con- 
victed of  speaking  falsehood  in  what  he  denies,  by  the  part  of 
the  truth  which  he  professes  to  hold.  Thus  we  find  antichrist 
professing  to  admit  the  truth  of  all  the  facts  recorded  in  the 
gospel,  and  hold  the  apostolic  writings  as  Divinely  inspired, 
and  yet  zealously  promoting  a  poor  imitation  of  all  the 
abolished  shadows. 

The  national  righteousness  and  happiness  of  Israel  are  now 
sought  after,  in  opposition  to  Christ,  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness,  and  the  heavenly  life  to  which  he  rose  from  the 
dead.  We  fondly  apply  the  ancient  prophecies  to  national 
churches,  established  by  the  laws  of  earthly  states  and  king- 
doms, (a  poor  imitation  indeed  of  that  national  church  which 
was  established  of  old  by  the  Divine  law  :)  and  it  would  give 
many  of  us  no  pleasure  to  hear,  that  the  prophecies  concerning 
the  nations  had  their  most  notable  accomplishment  in  the  in- 
fancy of  Christianity,  (as  they  choose  to  speak,)  when  God 
at  the  first  did  visit  the  nations  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for 
his  name,  even  though  the  inspired  apostles  should  solemnly 

declare,  that  to  this  agree  the  ivords  of  the  prophets. We 

have  also  got  earthly  altars  and  sacrifices,  holy  places  made 
with  hands,  mortal  priests  and  ministers  of  the  sanctuary,  &.c  : 
in  short,  every  token  to  show  that  Jesus  was  not  the  Christ 
come  in  the  flesh,  except  it  be,  that  we  still  stupidly  put  these 
two  words  together ;  even  as  the  Jews,  to  this  day,  with  no 
less  stupidity,  maintain  the  credit  of  those  books  which  prove 
to  demonstration  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ. 

We  Protestants  have  generally  been  ashamed  of  the  ex- 
travagant height  to  which  our  Roman  Catholic  fathers  carried 
their  imitation  of  the  Jewish  worship  and  hierarchy.  We 
have  found  it  proper  to  Judaize  more  moderately  in  several 
instances  :*  and  for  this  moderation  we  are  indebted  to  the 

*  In  later  times,  the  Christian  leaders  have  .«hown  no  less  address  in 
gradually  abating  their  pretensions  as  necessity  urges,  than  Ibrnierly  in 


LET.   IV.]  TIIERON   AND   ASPASIO.  105 

Divine  Providence,  and  the  wisdom  of  our  rulers,  who  have 
taught  and  obliged  us  in  many  respects  to  lower  our  style. 
and  to  contract  within  narrower  bounds  the  meaning  of  seve- 
ral Avords  and  titles  which  we  choose  still  to  retain.  Yet  it 
must  be  owned  that  it  is  with  great  reluctance  that  we  learn 
any  lesson  of  sobriety  ;  for  almost  every  the  meanest  preacher, 
in  the  poorest  dissenting  congregation,  still  affects  to  be  called 
The  Reverend  ;  from  the  same  principle  which  leads  the  first 
clergyman  in  Europe  to  take  the  title  of  His  Holiness.  The 
bulk  of  the  Christian  leaders,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest, 
have  showed  an  inclination  to  share  more  or  less  of  the  wor- 
ship due  to  him  whom  we  praise,  saying,  Holy  and  reverend 
is  his  name.  I  may  seem  to  be  sometimes  nice  in  taking 
notice  of  these  titles,  which  are  sometimes  very  big  with 
meaning,  and  sometimes  explained  away  to  a  very  subordinate 
sense,  as  occasion  requires ;  yet  I  cannot  appear  to  any  rea- 
sonable man  to  be  nicer  than  he  who  said.  Why  callest  thou 
me  good  ?*   there  is  none  good  but  one,  God. 

I  have  chosen  to  consider  jointly  what  relates  to  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  the  minister  thereof;  as  all  the  grand  things  said  of 
both  corresponded  to  each  other,  had  the  closest  connection  in 
the  shadows,  are  united  in  the  substance,  and  are  for  the  most 
part  closely  connected  together  in  the  absurd  modern  imita- 
tion ;  so  that  such  modern  ministers  of  the  sanctuary,  as  acknow- 
ledge no  holy  places  made  with  hands,  have  been  obliged  to 
strain  the  harder  by  other  methods,  to  keep  up  the  sacred  dis- 
stinction  of  their  character  and  office. 

As  a  Protestant,  I  cannot  help  blushing  on  this  occasion, 


advancing  them.  Accordingly,  we  find  the  art  of  trimming,  compound- 
ing, and  halving  of  matters,  has  been  cultivated  with  great  care.  Hence 
we  have  seen  half  persecution,  half  temples,  half  sacrifices,  priests,  &c. 
But  as  this  art  does  not  proceed  upon  any  fixed  rules,  but  rather  consists 
in  a  dexterous  deviation  from  all  rules,  as  occasion  requires,  it  has  proved 
the  means  of  no  small  division  among  the  leaders,  and  consequently  of 
freeing  the  people  from  their  dominion.  If  we  should  compare  the 
period  of  the  advancement  of  their  pretensions  to  the  building  of  the 
tower  in  the  plain  of  Shinar,  methinks  we  might  call  this  latter  period, 
not  improperly,  tlie  confusion  of  tongues.  Hence  it  is,  that  all  schemes 
oCcompreltcnsion,  or  attempts  to  restore  uniformity,  meet  with  great  ob- 
structions.  But  what(!ver  sort  of  religious  comprehension  shall  at  any 

time  take  place.  Christians  who  hear  the  apostles,  have  no  reason  to  be 
anxious  about  it;  for  whoever  becomprehended,  they  are  sure  to  be  ex- 
cluded. 

*  Yet  some,  I  doubt  not,  fond  of  the  shell  of  religious  homage,  for  the 
sake  of  its  wonted  contents,  will  be  reatly  to  insinuate,  that  RKVKRENr* 
Sir!  would  have  proved  a  more  acceptable  address,  and  less  obnoxiou:^ 
lo  reprehension,  than  Good  Mastkr  ! 


106  LiETTERS  ON  [lET.  IV. 

to  find  one  of  our  serious  writers  applying  to  certain  edifices, 
plaiiiiLU  and  built  uy  modern  aitificeis,  the  language  used  in 
Scripture  concerning  the  temple  of  Solomon,*  which  was  built 
according  to  Divine  inspiration,  for  a  shadow  of  Christ's  body, 
or  the  incarnate  person  of  the  Messiah  ;  so  as  the  grand  things 
spoken  of  the  former,  can  only  be  verified  by  the  latter. 
These  grand  things  belong  to  what  is  of  greater  dignity  than 
Solomon's  temple,  yea,  than  the  heaven  of  heavens  ;  they  be- 
long to  no  less  than  the  object  of  worship,  even  to  him  of 
whom  the  apostles  said,  The  Word  icas  made  flesh,  and 
taxr]vMocv  tabemacled  among  us,  [and  tee  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,)  full  of  grace  and 
truth.  To  this  the  words  of  Solomon  pointed  when  he  said, 
2  Chron.  v,  18.  But  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men 
on  the  earth  ?  Behold,  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  can- 
not contain  thee  ?  how  much  less  this  house  which  I  have  built  ! 
These  words  plainly  signify  his  astonishment  on  the  glimpse 
he  had,  by  the  type,  of  God's  intention  of  dwelling  in  very 

deed  with  men  on  the  earth. All  the  works  of  creation 

afford  but  a  very  partial  and  imperfect  view  of  God ;  but  in 
Christ,  we  can  say  with  the  utmost  propriety,  dwells  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  or  in  very  deed.  To  this  pur- 
pose are  these  words  in  Isaiah,  chap.  Ixvi,  1.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool : 
lohe.re  is  the  house  that  ye  build  unto  me !  and  where  is 
the  place  of  my  rest  ?  for  all  those  things  hath  mine  hand 
made,  and  all  those  things  have  been,  saith  the  Lord:  but  to 
this  man  will  I  look,  &c. Nowhere  but  in  Christ  cruci- 
fied could  there  be  found  a  place  for  the  just  God  and  the 
Saviour  to  rest  with  men.  All  things  or  places  else  are  re- 
jected as  unfit :  for  this  very  reason,  because  his  hand  had 
made  them.  The  Divine  glory  could  nowhere  be  contained 
or  fully  manifested,  but  in  him  who  was  truly  God. 

Stephen,  giving  the  sense  of  the  words  I  have  just  now 
quoted,  says.  The  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made 
with  hands,  even  though  built  and  consecrated  according  to 
his  own  direction.  If  Paul  said  to  such  Gentile  Christians 
as  had  been  persuaded  to  observe  days,  &c.,  which  had  been 
sanctified  by  Divine  appointment,  /  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I 
have  bestowed  upon  you  labour  in  vain ;  if  he  said  at  last  to 
the  Hebrew  Christians,  We  have  an  altar,  whereof  they  have 
710  right  to  eat  which  serve  the  tabernacle  ;  what  would  he 
have  said  to   Christians  indulging  a  religious  dread  at  the 

^  See  Meditations  among  the  tombs,  near  the  beginning. 


LET,   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  107 

"  gloomy  aspect"  of  houses  having  nothing  to  sanctify  them 
but  the  breath  of  mortal  men? to  Christians  looking  de- 
voutly at  stone  walls  of  modern  architecture,  and  saying, 
•'  Having  adored  that  eternal  Majesty,  who,  far  from  being 
confined  to  {Stephen  says,  who  dwelleth  not  in]  temples  made 
with  hands,  has  heaven  for  his  throne,  and  the  earth  for  his 
footstool  ?"  what  would  he  have  said  to  Christians  paying 
adoration  to  the  Deity,  as  manifesting  his  character  or  putting 
his  name  any  where  but  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  it  well  be- 
comes every  knee  to  bow,  and  every  tongue  to  give  thanks  ? 

Methinks  we  Protestants  may  gratify  our  itch  for  idolatry 
sufficiently,  in  forming  idols  by  speculation,  in  imitation  of 
the  later  Jews,  though  we  leave  entirely  to  our  old  friends  in 
the  south  of  Europe  the  business  of  framing  idols  and  shrines 
for  the  Deity,  by  the  hands  of  masons,  carpenters  and  priests. 
Is  it  indeed  possible,  that  any  Christian,  or  even  attentive 
reader  of  the  Scriptures,  can  seriously  think  that  the  "  bene- 
dictive  presence"  of  the  Deity  has  any  connection  with  St. 
PauPs,  more  than  with  the  meanest  garret  or  cellar  in  Lon- 
don?  But  if  after  all,  through  fondness  for  our  stately  edi- 
fices, and  for  the  honour  of  our  consecrating  priests,  we 
scruple  to  affirm  roundly,  with  Stephen,  that  the  Most  High 
DWELLKTH  NOT  hi  tcmplcs  made  with  hands ;  methinks,  in 
point  of  decency,  we  ought  at  least  to  show  some  uniformity 
in  our  regard  to  the  carnal  command.ment,  which  appointed 
the  shadows,  and  not  cut  and  carve  upon  it  also  through  mere 
fancy,  presuming,  by  our  own  private  notions  of  usefulness 
and  fitness,  to  convert  the  temples  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  into 
receptacles  of  rottenness  and  dead  men's  bones.  What  horror, 
what  indignation,  would  not  a  devout  Israelite  have  conceived, 
at  the  proposal  to  change  the  temple  of  the  living  God  into  a 

sepulchre  for  the  dead  ! if  we  still  choose  rather  to  strike 

out  a  middle  path  by  our  own  wisdom,  and  say.  The  Most 
High  is  not  confined  to  temples  made  with  hands,  we  ought, 
for  uniformity's  sake,  to  proceed  in  the  same  manner  with  all 
the  other  types,  and  .say,  the  communication  of  the  Divine 
favour  is  not  confined  to  the  intercession  of  mortal  priests : 
The  Divine  pleasure  is  not  confined  to  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
goats,  &.C.  :  and  so  leave  it  to  every  man's  own  wisdom  and 
discretion,  to  share  his  regard  betwixt  all  the  shadows  and  the 
substance,  in  every  instance  as  to  him  shall  seem  most  con- 
venient. 

On  the  holy  mount  we  see  ratified  and  put  in  force,  the 
sovereign  edict  or  law  by  which  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or 


108  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

New  Testament  church  is  established,  and  their  eternal  salva- 
tion secured  ;  even  that  law  foretold,  Is.  li,  4 — 6  ;  "  Hearken 
unto  me,  my  people,  and  give  ear  unto  me,  O  my  nation  :  for 
a  law  shall  proceed  from  me,  and  I  will  make  my  judgment 
to  rest  for  a  light  of  the  people.  My  righteousness  is  near  : 
my  salvation  is  gone  forth,  and  mine  arm  shall  judge  the 
people :  the  isles  shall  wait  upon  me,  and  on  mine  arm  shall 
they  trust.  Lift  up  your  eyes  to  the  heavens,  and  look  upon 
the  earth  beneath ;  for  the  heavens  shall  vanish  away  like 
smoke,  and  the  earth  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment,  and  they 
that  dwell  therein  shall  die  in  like  manner  ;  but  my  salvation 
shall  be  for  ever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not  be  abolish- 
ed ;"  even  the  commandment  so  often  made  mention  of  by 
Jesus,  John  x,  "  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep.  This  com- 
mandment have  I  received  of  my  Father,"  John  xii,  49,  50 ; 
"  I  have  not  spoken  of  myself;  but  the  Father  which  sent 
me,  he  gave  me  a  commandment,  what  I  should  say,  and 
what  I  should  speak.  And  I  know  that  his  commandment 
is  life  everlasting:  whatsoever  I  speak,  therefore,  even  as  the 
Father  said  unto  me,  so  I  speak."  John  xiv,  31  ;  "But  that 
the  world  may  know  that  1  love  the  Father ;  and  as  the  Fa- 
ther gave  me  commandment,  even  so  I  do.  Arise,  let  us  go 
hence." 

From  the  law  given  by  Moses,  this  commandment  of  grace 
is  thus  distinguished.  The  former  ministered  condemnation, 
this  ministers  righteousness ;  that  demanded,  this  bestows 
righteousness.  According  to  that  law,  which  said.  The  man 
that  doth  these  things  shall  live  by  them ;  no  man  could  obtain 
life  but  by  his  own  personal  obedience.  But  here  by  the 
gracious  and  sovereign  edict  of  him,  whom  it  becomes  to  act 
above  and  beyond  all  law  for  the  relief  of  the  guilty,  com- 
mandment is  given  to  the  Son  of  the  Highest,  to  fulfil  the 
law  given  by  Moses  for  the  transgressors,  so  as  they  might 
live  together  with  him  by  his  righteousness.  Jesus  Christ, 
in  the  days  of  his  humiliation,  knew  that  the  certain  issue  of 

this  commandment  was  life  everlasting. When  we  behold 

him  glorified,  we  see  the  life-giving  power  thereof  exerted ; 
we  see  the  grace  that  gave  him  to  be  obedient,  reigning 
through  his  perfect  obedience  unto  eternal  life.  This  com- 
mandment, or  royal  grant  of  life  through  righteousness,  was 
ratified  by  the  blood  of  Christ  when  he  died  as  a  sacrifice  for 
sin  ;  so  takes  the  notion  of  a  covenant,  in  reference  to  the  tem- 
porary and  typical  one  formerly  made  with  Israel. It  is 

also  set  before  us  under  the  notion  of  a  testament,  as  convey- 
ing an  inheritance  by  the  death  of  a  testator ; — and  as  our 


LET.    I  V.J  TIIEKON   AND  ASFAi^lO.  109 

sense  of  condemnation  arose  from  the  notion  of  a  law,  it  is  also 
presented  to  us  in  tliat  view,  and  is  confirmed  by  the  Divine 
oath,  that  we  might  have  strong  consolation.  So  Paul  says, 
"The  law  of  the  spirit  of  life,  in  Christ  Jesus,  hath  made  me 
free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death." 

Agreeable  to  this,  the  Apostle  John  says,  "  This  is  his  com- 
mandment, that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son ;" 
not  that  we  should  do  any  thing  to  obtain  life,  but  that  we 
should  live  by  what  he  hath  done.  It  is  a  commandment  not 
requiring  any  thing  of  us,  but  bestowing  life  by  the  knowledge 
which  it  conveys ;  for  the  belief  or  knowledge  of  C'hrist  is 
happiness,  as  Jesus  says,  "  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  The 
belief  or  knowledge  of  a  comfortable  truth,  is  not  work  or  la- 
bour, but  rest  and  peace ;  and  the  heavenly  gift  is  conveyed 
unto  men,  even  as  God  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  in  this  manner,  "Be  it  known  unto  you." 

As  sin  reigned  unto  death  in  these  words,  "  The  soul  that 
sinneth  shall  die,"  or  somewhat  equivalent  to  them,  in  the 
conscience  of  every  man  ;  so  grace  reigns  through  righteous- 
ness in  these  words,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased  ;"  with  the  force  of  an  irresistible  law  to  begin, 
carry  forward,  and  complete  the  eternal  salvation  of  the  whole 
church  of  the  living  God.  The  church  of  God,  established 
by  this  law,  needs  no  other  law  to  support  it,  nor  can  it  be 
endangered  by  any  other  law  or  power  whatsoever- 
Jesus  said  before  the  Roman  governor,  "  My  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world."  But  a  learned  prelate  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
land hath  already,  upwards  of  thirty  years  ago,  with  the  great- 
est perspicuity,  set  forth  the  scriptural  import  of  these  words, 
to  the  full  conviction  of  all  who  have  an  ear  to  give  to  the 
Scriptures.  And  his  doctrine,  on  this  head,  though  it  met 
with  no  answer,  but  such  as  was  dictated  by  manifest  disaf- 
fection to  the  Scriptures,  has  been  rejected  with  great  indigna- 
tion by  all  zealous  ecclesiastics.  Had  that  great  man  under- 
stood the  truth  pointed  at  in  the  subsequent  answer  of  Jesus, 
"  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the 
world,  tliat  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Every  one 
that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice ;"  he  would  have  been 
able  to  sho'.v  from  the  Scriptures,  what  the  kmgdom  of  Christ 
is,  as  clear  as  he  has  shown  what  it  is  not :  and  consequently 
hid  become,  with  the  apostles  and  first  Christians,  a  "brother 
and  companion  in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kino-dom  and  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ."  However,  his  deficiency  in  this  respect  was 
supplied  not  long  after,  by  a  minister  of  the  church  of  Scotland 
10 


110  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV- 

who  was  ejected  on  that  account.*  And,  indeed,  any  one  who 
will  dare  to  acknowledge  Christianity,  as  taught  in  the  New 
Testament,  must  make  but  a  very  indifferent  figure  in  any 
national  church  by  law  established,  or  yet  in  any  party  of 
dissenters,  lamenting  the  want  of  such  establishment ;  at  least 
he  will  find  no  room  to  glory  in  his  situation. 

What  would  Paul  have  said  to  one  adopting  his  words  about 
"glorying  only  in  the  cross,"  and  yet  glorying  in  being  the 
member  or  minister!  of  a  church  established  by  the  approba- 
tion of  the  world,  or  the  laws  of  earthly  states  and  kingdoms  ? 
We  may  well  suppose  he  would  at  least  have  applauded  the 
prudence  of  such  a  one,  in  forbearing  to  adopt  the  rest  of  his 
sentence — "  by  which  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I 
unto  the  world."  Paul  once  gloried  in  being  the  member  of 
a  national  church  established  by  the  divine  law ;  but  when 
he  knew  Christ,  he  renounced  all  glorying  but  in  his  cross. 
He  now  understood,  that  the  carnal  church,  the  carnal  com- 
mandment, by  which  it  was  established,  the  worldly  sanctua- 
ry, and  all  the  earthly  blessings,  were  so  many  shadows  of 
heavenly  things.  And  he  speaks  of  all  who,  in  his  time, 
walked  after  his  former  temper  of  mind,  as  glorying  in  the 
flesh,  in  opposition  to  the  spirit :  for  these  contrasts,  letter  and 
spirit,  flesh  and  spirit,  shadow  and  body,  earthly  and  heavenly, 
are  all  used  in  the  New  Testament  to  the  same  purpose. 
And  sometimes  the  contrast  is  signified  by  joining  the  epi- 
thet true  to  the  type,  as  the  true  vine,  the  true  bread,  the  true 
tabernacle,  &c. 

They  who,  in  Paul's  time,  gloried  in  the  flesh,  gloried  in 
what  took  its  rise  from  Divine  appointment,  and  had  a  copi- 
ous fund  for  the  most  specious  kind  of  argument  on  their  side. 
But  such  as  now  imitate  them  without  their  fund,  cannot  even 
with  propriety  claim  the  honour  of  glorying  in  the  flesh  as 
they  did  ;  but  must  be  considered  as  glorying  in  mere  human 
forgeries,  and  changing  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  without 
any  other  authority  than  their  own  imaginations  and  worldly 
lusts.  Yet  it  appears  by  Paul's  epistles,  that  he  thought  no 
epithet  too  severe,  to  describe  those  who  in  his  time  glorified 
in  the  flesh.  What,  then,  would  he  have  said  of  us  modern 
Christians  ?  Paul,  indeed,  2  Cor.  xi,  shows  us  how  he  could 
glory  in  the  flesh ;  but  he  desires  us  beforehand  to  bear  with 


*  The  doctrine  he  maintained,  may  be  seen  in  a  small  treatise,  called, 
T/ie  testimony  of  the  Kiiiff  of  martyrs  concerning  his  kincrdom,  John  xviii. 
36,  37,  explained,  &c.  Edinburgh,  ]72i),  and  in  several  other  tracts  of 
later  date. 

t  See  the  preface  to  the  dialogues. 


f.ET.  XV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  Ill 

him  a  iittle  in  his  folly.  He  tells  us  he  is  going  to  play  the 
fool,  Avhen  he  is  going  to  act  the  gravest  and  most  solemn 
part  of  his  revered  antagonists  at  Corinth ;  and,  indeed,  he  far 
outshines  them  in  his  fund  for  glorying.  But  all  this  he  does 
to  introduce  his  own  true  ground  of  glorying,  which  Jesus 
furnished  him  with,  in  these  words,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee:  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness." 

This  grace  which  reigns  through  the  obedience  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  so  may  with  all  propriety  be  called  his,  Paul  had 
already  known  and  preached,  as  sufficient  to  strengthen  the 
weakest  heart,  in  every  case  he  had  either  experienced  him- 
self, or  thought  of  in  others.  Yet  it  seemed  good  to  his  Lord 
to  bring  him,  even  after  his  return  from  the  third  heaven, 
into  such  a  strait,  as  that  he  needed  a  fresh  assurance  of  the 
first  lesson  of  Christianity,  even  to  be  certified,  that  the  grace 
which  had  relieved  him  at  the  first,  was  sufficient  for  his 
help  in  this  extraordinary  case.  So  that  Paul,  in  the  deepest 
of  all  his  distresses,  was  relieved  by  that  very  faith  which  we 
modern  Christians,  in  the  height  of  our  complaisance,  choose 
only  to  call,  "of  the  enfeebled  and  infantile  kind."  On  this 
bottom,  however  feeble  it  seems  to  us,  Paul  steps  forth  in  the 
height  of  his  glorying,  and  discovers  the  greatest  excellency 
of  the  Christian  character.  And  it  may  be  added,  that,  even 
after  he  came  from  the  third  heaven,  in  order  "  to  finish  his 
education,"  he  stood  in  need  of  that  lesson,  which  to  us  ap- 
pears of  ver}'-  small  weight,  and  at  best  to  be  but  weak  and 
childish. 

Whereas,  national  churches  flourish  or  decay  by  the 
smiles  or  frowns  of  princes,  the  true  church  is  established  by 
the  smile  of  the  Most  High.  And  though  the  members 
thereof  on  the  earth  may  be  persecuted  unto  death ;  yet 
*'  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate 
them  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  their 
Lord."  In  this  church,  the  greatest  king  can  be  of  no  more 
consequence  than  the  meanest  of  his  subjects.  This  church 
vrill  receive  no  establishment  on  the  earth,  till  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  just,  when  the  whole  redeemed  company  shall 
reign  with  Christ  a  thousand  years  on  the  earth,  after  which 
they  shall  inherit  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  forever. 

The  members  of  this  church,  who  are  yet  in  this  mortal 
state,  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  having  here 
no  continuing  city  or  establishment,  as  the  Jews  had  before 


112  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  but  having,  in  opposition  to 
those  Judaizers  who  minded  earthly  things,  their  (n-oX<r£i7.<.) 
establishment  in  heaven,  from  whence  they  look  for  the  Sa- 
viour to  change  their  bodies.  Whatever  aherations  may 
happen  in  the  course  of  the  world,  depressing  one  religious 
party  and  raising  another,  they  expect  no  revolution  in  their 
favour  till  Christ  come  the  second  time;  for  they  can  find  no 
encouragement  from  the  Scriptures,  to  pay  any  regard  to 
those  old  Rabbinical  notions  which  have  been  revived  and 
new  modelled  by  modern  Christians,  concerning  some  glo- 
rious flourishing  appearance  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  yet  to 
be  expected  in  this  mortal  state,  by  a  general  conversion  of 
Jews  and  Gentiles.* 

Every  particular  society  of  Christians  joined  together,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  prescribed  by  the  apostles,  and  meeting 
in  one  place,  as  at  Colosse,  Ephesus,  or  Philippi,  to  eat  the 
Lord's  supper,  is  called  a  church,  in  the  same  sense  as  the 
bread  and  wine,  in  that  supper,  are  called  Christ's  body  and 
blood,  namely,  as  being  a  representation  of  the  one  invisible 
church.  The  members  of  such  particular  societies  may  be 
persecuted  and  dispersed,  like  those  of  Jerusalem ;  but  such 
persecution  or  dispersion  will  always  tend  to  the  benefit, 


*  The  chief,  if  not  the  onh'  passage  of  Scripture  that  can,  with  any 
colour  of  reasoning,  be  hisisted  on  as  a  foundation  for  expecting  some 
such  general  conversion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  as  is  commonly  thought 
of,  is  in  Romans,  chap,  xi;  where  Paul,  reasoning  at  large  to  check  the 
religious  pride  of  the  believing  Romans,  which  he  foresaw  would  one 
day  rise  to  the  same  height,  and  be  attended  with  the  same  dismal  con- 
sequences, as  that  of  the  Jews  in  his  time,  says  to  them  concerning  the 
Jews,  V,  23,  And  they  also,  if  thcybulc  not  still  in  unbcUrf,  shtill  be  g raffed 
in  :  for  God  is  able  to  sraff  them  in  again.  Jesus  Christ,  in  lil<c  manner, 
in  order  to  check  the  rising  envy  of  Peter,  addressed  him  thus,  concern- 
ing John  the  beloved  disciple,  jf  I  icUl  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  xrhat  is 
thai  to  thee  ?  follow  thou  me.  As,,  from  tliis  saying  of  Jesus,  an  opinion 
Took  place  among  the  disciples,  that  John  should  not  die  ;  so,  from  the 
forementioned  .saying  of  Paul,  an  opinion  has  prevailed  among  the  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity  concerning  some  general  conversion  of  the  Jews. 
But  it  cannot  appear  that  Jesus  Christ  or  Paul  ever  intended  to  give 
ground  for  either  of  these  opinions,  so  long  as  the  sayings  pled  as  a 
foundation  for  theui  are  prefaced  with  an  if.  But  not  to  enlarge  on 
this  subject  at  present,  1  shall  only  observe,  that  the  expectation  of  some 
general  conversion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  of  worldly  prosperitA-^  at- 
tending the  profession  of  Christianity,  though  extremely  opposite  to 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  Scriptures,  has  taken  place,  instead  of  the  an- 
cient hope  of  Christ's  second  coming,  and  the  reign  of  the  .saints,  by 
which  the  first  Christians  were  animated  in  their  patience  unto  death, 
and  corresponds  exactly  with  the  expectations  framed  by  the  Jews  con- 
cerning his  first  coming. 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  113 

never  to  the  hurt  of  the  one  true  church  or  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. Paul  himself,  who  was  commissioned  to  carry  the  gos- 
pel to  the  nations,  was  often  scourged,  bound,  and  imprison- 
ed, yea,  and  loaded  with  reproach  and  infamy  ;  yet  we  never 
find  him  complaining,  as  if  the  gospel  suffered  any  damage 
by  this  means,  but  rather  taking  occasion  from  thence  to 
rejoice,  that  the  word  of  God  was  not  bound  ;  and  that  what 
happened  to  him  fell  out  rather  under  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel. 

It  was  the  will  of  the  Captain  of  salvation,  who  was  made 
perfect  through  sufferings,  that  all  his  subjects  should,  through 
much  tribulation,  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Paul, 
warning  Timothy  against  the  corruption  of  Christianity 
which  was  to  take  place,  first  sets  before  him  his  own  godly 
life,  and  then  lays  down  this  general  maxim,  "  Yea,  and  all 
that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution. 
But  evil  men  and  seducers  shall  wax  worse  and  worse,  de- 
ceiving and  being  deceived.  But  continue  thou  in  the  things 
which  thou  hast  learned,"  &c.  All  national  establishments 
of  Christianity  have  been  devised  to  accommodate  that  reli- 
gion to  the  pride  and  lusts  of  men.  Certain  articles  are 
drawn  up  by  human  wisdom  to  stand  for  a  creed ;  no  matter 
what  they  be,  sound  or  unsound  ;  there  are  Avorldly  advan- 
tages connected  with  them  sufficient  to  draw  multitudes,  on 
whom  the  gospel  has  no  manner  of  influence,  to  feign  an 
acquiescence  in  them.  But  what  ancient  Christian  would 
ever  have  imagined,  that  a  preacher  of  salvation  through  the 
cross  of  Christ,  having  one  eye  on  the  authority  of  certain 
human  creed  makers,  and  the  other  on  a  renowned  poet,*  as 
espousing  the  same  doctrine  with  their  creed,  would  say, 
"  This  must  surely  give  a  sanction  wherever  our  religious 
establishment  is  reverenced,  or  polite  literature  is  held  in 
repute  ;"t  Will  reverence  for  the  reigning  religion,  and 
the  fashionable  taste  in  literature,  indeed  condescend  to  serve 
as  handmaids  to  introduce  us  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  com- 
mend it  to  our  esteem  1  This  will  be  a  very  new  and  strange 
employment  for  them,    to   which  they  have  been   hitherto 


*^  However  mutchlrss  Milton's  poetry  may  be,  it  would  certainly  be 
rash  in  any  lover  of  the  ancient  gospel,  to  pronounce  with  A.<?pasio, 
in  the  end  of  the  ninth  dialogue,  his  dirinity  to  be  faultless,  if  he  ha^ 
read  the  first  four  or  five  pages  of  the  third  and  eleventh  books  of 
Paradise  Lost;  where  his  doctrine  savours  nuich  more  of  the  grace 
magnified  by  popular  preachers,  than  of  the  true  grace  of  God  preached 
by  Paul. 

t  Preface  to  Theron  and  Aspasio. 
10* 


114  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

quite  unaccustomed.  The  apostles,  low-bred  mortals,  knew 
no  such  lures  to  draw  men  to  the  cross,  no  such  trappings  to 
adorn  it  withal ;  and,  indeed,  little  as  they  seemed  in  the  eyes 
of  men,  they  yet  thought  it  far  beneath  them  to  hide  the 
shame  of  the  cross  by  any  such  gaudy  veils,  and  they  bestow- 
ed the  severest  rebukes  on  all  who  attempted  to  do  so. 

The  matter  was,  they  loved  the  cross  best  in  its  na^  ed 
simplicity.  Why  ?  because  there  they  saw  the  glory  of 
God!  They  never  made  their  court  to  the  religious  or  polite 
world,  nor  sought  to  commend  Christianity  by  the  handle  of 
their  favourite  sentiments  or  prejudices  ;  and  they  well  knew, 
that,  ridiculous  and  shocking  as  the  bare  cross  did  appear 
unto  men,  no  decorations  could  ever  separate  from  it  the  ideas 
of  mortification  and  shame,  but  might  well  serve  to  make  it 
more  ridiculous,  yea,  justly  so,  in  the  eyes  of  the  more  dis- 
cerning part  of  mankind.  They  would  not  have  persuaded 
any  writer  for  the  imputed  righteousness  to  deprecate  the 
censure  of  the  public,  and,  courting  their  favour,  "hope," 
that  his  "  whole  performance  will  not  be  cashiered  for  one 
difference  in  sentiment :  and  beg  that  the  sentiment  itself  may 
not  be  hastily  rejected,  without  a  serious  hearing;"*  because 
he  can  produce  many  human  suffrages  to  keep  him  in  coun- 
tenance. They  would  not  have  encouraged  him  to  apologize 
to  the  public  for  speaking  "  magnificently  of  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  its  unknown  efficacy  to  expiate  guilt  ;"t  and,  as 
one  half  ashamed,  plead  the  concurrence  of  wits  and  great 
men. 

Though  we  may  flatter  ourselves  that  such  behaviour  holds 
of  a  becoming  modesty,  it  will  be  found,  if  we  try  ourselves 
by  the  gospel,  that  it  proceeds  from  some  diffidence  in  the 
truth  ;  from  our  being  somewhat  overawed  in  this  respect  by 
the  "  formidable  banter,"  and  the  ''irrefragable  smile"  j:  how- 
ever much  we  may  despise  those  weapons  Avhen  pointed 
against  our  character  for  devotion  in  other  respects.  The 
apostles  loved  to  see  men  resolved  to  take  their  part  with  the 
truth  at  all  events,  and  determined  to  sink  or  swim  with  it ; — 
to  see  them  boldly  risking  their  i.chole  reputation  among  man- 
kind upon  the  one  capital  difference  in  sentiment,  by  which 
Christians  were  from  the  beginning  distinguished  from  all 
others,  and  ready  to  scorn  all  reputation  they  might  enjoy  at 
the  expense  of  one  thing. 


*  See  Meditations,  vol.  1,  p.  272. 

tibid,  p.  281. 

+  Ibid,  vol.  2,  p.  101. 


LET.   IV. J  TIIFKOX  AND  ASPaSIO.  115 

In  opposition  to  reverence  for  the  religious  or  polite  world, 
the  Scripture  teaches  us,  that  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  begin- 
ning of  wisdom.— But,  then,  I  am  told,  that  "  even  this  sanc- 
tion" to  the  Christian  doctrine  which  is  drawn  from  these  two 
sources,  when  "compared  with  the  oracle  of  revelation,  is 
only  like  a  range  of  cyphers  connected  with  the  initial  figure  ; 
which,  were  they  detached,  would  be  insignificant ;  but  in 
such  a  subordination  are  considerable." — Let  then  the  oracle 
of  revelation  be  represented  by  the  figure  denoting  one,  and 
let  the  other  two  objects  of  our  attention,  connected  with  it  as 
cyphers,  make  a  hundred  ;  and  let  these  three  be  jointly  urged 
as  motives  upon  the  minds  of  men  ;  it  will  be  found  upon  the 
trial,  that  the  latter  two,  which  in  certain  contrasts  we  choose 
to  call  cyphers,  but  which  do  indeed  include  all  that's  admired 
and  all  that's  coveted  in  the  world,  will  have  weight  on  the 
human  mind  against  revelation,  as  ninety-nine  to  one :  and  I 
may  add,  that  if  we  shall  now  and  then  find  one  in  whose 
mind  revelation  bears  the  sway,  we  shall  more  easily  find 
ninety-nine  led  by  the  motives  of  reputation,  weahh  and  power. 
For  what  else  but  the  ideas  of  wealth  and  power  can  draw 
our  reverence  to  any  rehgious  establishment,  more  than  to  the 
most  despicable  society  of  dissenters  ?  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
distorting  any  similitude  aside  from  the  sentiment  it  was 
brought  to  illustrate.  My  obvious  intention  is,  to  show  the 
mistake  in  the  sentiment  itself,  and  how  vain  a  thing  it  is  to 
imagine,  that  those  objects  which  naturally  inflame  the  pas- 
sions of  men,  can  be  ranged  in  subordination  to  the  gospel,  so 
as  to  exert  their  influence  in  its  favour,  or  that  the  gospel 
stands  in  need  of  any  such  crutches. — Many  methods  have 
been  devised  to  render  the  gospel  acceptable  unto  men,  but 
the  effect  of  all  these  has  been  to  make  us  lose  sight  of  the 
gospel  itself  Our  wisest  course,  therefore,  will  be,  to  let  it 
stand  in  the  simple  dress  wherein  it  was  left  by  the  apostles, 
without  any  other  recommendation  than  its  native  charms, 
entrusting  the  success  thereof  wholly  to  Heaven,  from  whence 
it  came. 

If  by  church  we  understand  society,  what  society  do  we 
mean,  when  we  glory  in  being  members  of  any  church  estab- 
lished by  human  laws  ;  the  church  of  England,  for  instance? 
Do  we  glory  in  being  members  of  a  society,  where,  as  to  the 
foundation,  the  grand  article  of  the  imputed  righteousness 
"  seems  to  be  little  understood,  and  less  regarded,  if  not  much 
mistaken,  and  almost  forgotten :" — where,  as  to  the  super- 
structure, vice  becomes  predominant  and  irreligion  almost 


116  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV 

epidemical ; — the  sabbaths  of  a  jealous  God,  are  notoriously 
profaned  ; — the  worship  of  the  great  Creator  and  preserver 
of  mankind  is  banished  from  many  of  the  most  consjncuous 
families :  and  it  is  deemed  a  piece  of  rude  impertinence,  so 
much  as  to  mention  the  Gracious  Redeemer  in  our  genteel 
interviews; — it  passes  for  an  elegant  freedom  of  behaviour, 
to  ridicule  the  mysteries  of  Christianity ; — and  many  of  those 
that  wear  the  prof essor^ s  garb,  are  destitute  of  the  power,  and 
content  themselves  with  the  mere  form  of  godliness?"* 

As  such  reflections  have  an  air  of  lamentation,  the  ground 
of  our  glorifying  must  certainly  lie  somewhere  else.  Do 
we  glory  in  this,  then,  that  we  have  laws  making  it  the  inter- 
est of  the  nation  to  pay  some  public  deference  to  the  religion 
which  they  ridicule  in  private  ?  that  multitudes  are  drawn  to 
subscribe  the  articles,  and  submit  to  the  forms  of  that  religion, 
in  like  manner,  and  from  the  same  principle,  as  importers  of 
French  wines  swear  they  brought  them  from  Bilboa  in  Spain  : 
by  which  they  secretly  mean  a  place  in  France,  which  they 
have  chosen  to  call  by  that  name  1  How  long  shall  we  zeal- 
ously cherish  the  roots  of  irreligion,  and  still  complain  of  its 
growth  ?  How  long  shall  we  hold  forth  strong  drink  unto 
men,  and  still  bemoan  their  intemperance  ?  How  long  shall 
we  pray  that  the  cause  may  flourish,  and  the  natural  effects 
decrease  ?  We  have  been  at  great  pains  to  sweeten  and  gild 
the  Christian  religion,  to  make  it  palatable ;  yet  men  still  slily 
lick  off* the  sweet,  and  pocket  the  gold,  and  after  all  throw 
away  the  pill,  complaining  of  its  bitterness.  Melancholy 
case  indeed  !  What  a  pity  is  it  that  Christianity  is  not  more 
fashionable,  that  so  we  zealous  Christians,  instead  of  bearing 
the  cross  after  Christ,  and  patiently  submitting  to  the  hatred 
and  contempt  of  the  world,  like  his  first  followers,  who  knew 
no  better,  may  be  in  the  top  of  the  fashion,  and  have  our  im- 
portance and  weight  duly  considered  among  mankind  !  With 
what  a  lovely  piety  and  sincere  devotion  might  we  shine  forth 
if  our  "most  conspicuous  families,"  who  rule  the  fashion 
would  only  animate  us  by  their  concurrence  ;t  and,  by  the 


^  Meditations,  vol.  2,  p.  75. 

t  Let  IIS  observe  with  what  a  heavy  heart  Mr.  Erskine  bewails  the 
want  of  worldly  enconni^enient  to  Clirislianity,  by  the  countenance  of 
great  men.  See  p.  492,  of  a  volume  of  his  sermons,  printed  at  Edin- 
burgh, 1755,  in  a  sermon  entitled,  The  hivgdom  of  God  tcitliin  the  soid  of 
man.  "  What  was  it  that  made  Parliaments  and  assemblies,  and  peo- 
ple of  all  ranks,  go  so  clean  to  work  about  the  year  1638,  and  the  year 
that  followed  it,  to  advance  a  v.ork  of  reformation,  and  to  engage  them- 
selves bv  solemn  covenant  to  maintain  it '!  and  what  makes  the  work 


LET.    IV.]  TIIERON    AND   ASPASIO.  117 

weight  of  their  character  and  station,  check  the  impcrtinrnce 
of  profane  wits  ?  And  how  readily  would  we  set  our  atlec- 
tions  on  the  things  that  are  above,  were  we  only  disencum- 
bered of  all  inconveniences  in  our  concerns  below;  and  what 
a  charming  sight  would  it  be,  to  behold  these  two  ideas,  which 
appeared  irreconcileable  to  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  now  beau- 
tifully harmonizing  t-ogether  under  the  joint  appellation  of  the 
Christia^n  world. 

But  whence  was  it,  that  the  apostles  were  so  great  stran- 
gers to  that  public  spirited  zeal  which  sits  so  gracefully  upon 
us  ?  It  would  seem,  they  wanted  the  proper  address  to  re- 
commend Christianity  to  people  of  condition ;  for  not  many 
of  that  class  gave  ear  to  them.  Or  they  were  so  much  oc- 
cupied in  teaching  Christians  patience  in  suffering,  that  they 
quite  forgot  to  lay  down  any  rules  for  reigning  Christianity. 
We  must  either  say  this,  or  that  they  got  no  instructions  to 
that  end ;  for  certain  it  is,  they  have  left  none  upon  record. 
Some  people,  indeed,  after  their  decease,  alleged,  that,  by 
second  or  third  hand,  from  some  of  their  private  discourses, 
which  they  had  neglected  to  write,  they  had  got  some  hints 
concerning  this  reign,  which  began  in  that  of  the  Christian 
teachers,  first  over  one  another,  then  over  the  rest  of  the 
Christian  brotherhood.  But  as  these  hints  are  scarcely  well 
vouched,  they  can  never  be  of  sufficient  weight  to  end  any 
dispute. 

This  capital  defect,  as  it  may  seem,  in  the  apostolic  wri- 
tings ;  though  it  cannot  justly  be  assigned  as  the  true  cause 
of  the  many  violent  controversies  which  have  arisen  among 
latter  Christians,  about  what  is  commonly  called  church-go- 
venivient,  and  about  the  proper  limits  betwixt  it  and  the  civil 
power,  or  the  connection  of  both  ;  may  yet  be  considered  as 
one  reason  why  contending  parties,  otherwise  agreed  as  to 


go  on  .so  slowly  now  ?  AVliy,  if  folk,  e.'^peciajly  men  of  influence  and 
power,  had  the  kingdom  of  God  within  them,  (which,  alas !  i.s  much 
wanting  now-a-day.'s,  otherwise  there  would  not  be  so  much  daubing 
with  untempered  mortar  as  there  is.)  O  Sirs,  if  ever  ye  would  see 
the  Lord's  work  thrive  again  in  the  land,  pray  that  the  same  spirit  may 
be  poured  out  fro;n  on  high,  that  he  may  lay  the  foundation  of  the 
work,  by  setting  up  his  kingdom  in  the  hearts  of  kings,  nobles,  gentry, 
ministers,  elders,  and  all  ranlis  of  people  in  the  land  ;  and  then  the  liearts 
of  the  cljildren  will  be  turned  to  their  lathers  ;  and  we  may  expect  to  see 
the  church  of  Christ  in  this  land  looking  forth  as  the  n)orning,  fair  as 
the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners,  Song 
vi,  10."  Terrible,  indeed,  would  be  the  situation  of  Britain,  especially 
in  the  way  of  vengeance  against  the  friends  of  the  ancient  gospel,  could 
sach  men  obtain  their  wishes  ! 


118  LETTERS  ox  [LET.  IV. 

the  articles  of  their  creed,  have  had  so  little  success  in  con- 
vincing  one  another  in  these  matters.  And,  indeed,  the  more 
moderate  on  either  side  are  now  ready  to  own,  that  the  New 
Testament  is  silent  in  this  respect. 

Yet  seeing  the  law  which  constituted  the  national  church 
of  Israel,  settled,  in  so  clear  and  particular  a  manner,  every 
thing  relating  to  the  subordination  and  privileges  of  those 
who  presided  in  holy  things,  and  the  influence  they  were  to 
have  in  the  state ;  one  is  apt,  at  first  view,  to  be  surprised  to 
find  the  New  Testament  so  deficient  on  this  head,  seeing 
order  and  peace  is  no  less  necessary  in  Christian  churches, 
than  it  was  in  the  nation  of  Israel ; — till  he  considers  that 
the  first  churches,  intended  as  patterns  of  all  that  should  fol- 
low, were  formed  by  the  influence  of  the  gospel  operating  on 
the  minds  of  individuals  of  every  class  of  men,  and  not  on 
corporations  or  bodies  politic  ;  that  the  apostles  taught  them 
by  love  to  serve  one  another,  as  the  proper  expression  of  the 
great  article  of  their  creed,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  not  to  be 
served,  but  to  serve ; — that  every  such  society  was,  by  the 
truth  which  joined  them  together,  placed  in  such  circum- 
stances, as  that  nothing  but  the  hand  of  God  could  maintain 
their  union  ; — that  as  no  common  worldly  interest  could  be 
promoted  by  their  union,  they  had  no  motives,  no  encourage- 
ments to  make  them  fond  of  it,  but  what  came  from  heaven, 
and  the  prospects  of  the  life  to  come ; — that  in  every  church 
the  apostles  appointed  the  men  who  were  best  skilled  in  the 
motives  to  serve,  had  greatest  courage  to  utter  them,  and 
were  most  influenced  by  them,  to  lead  the  rest  in  the  joint 
purpose  of  counting  all  things  loss,  that  they  might  have  fel- 
low^ship  with  Christ  in  his  sufferings,  being  made  conforma- 
ble to  his  death  ;  and  thus  distinguishing  them  into  younger 
and  elder  brethren,  left  them  with  this  standing  rule,  "  Ye 
younger,  ("'fojrspoi),  submit  yourselves  unto  the  elder, 
(rrp£<T/3ur£po(>);  yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be 
clothed  with  humility ;  for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and 
giveth  grace  to  the  humble." 

It  is  obvious,  then,  that  in  a  Christian  church  the  progress 
of  preferment  went  downward  ;  even  as  he  whp  leads  a  com- 
pany down  hill,  by  being  foremost  is  lowest.  Accordingly, 
we  find,  that  the  leader  in  chief  of  Christians,  who  himself 
took  the  lowest  and  most  ignominious  place  in  service,  lays 
it  down  as  a  fundamental  law  in  his  kingdom,  that  the  course 
of  preferment  should  be  just  the  reverse  of  what  takes  place 
in  all  bodies  politic,  Matt,  xx,  25 — 28.  And  to  this  the  mat- 
ter of  fact  corresponded  at  the  beginning ;  for  the  higher  a 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  119 

man  rose  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  lower  and  more  despi- 
cable a  figure  he  made  in  the  world.  This  will  readily  ap- 
pear to  any  one  who  considers  the  history  of  the  disciples,  the 
deacons,  the  elders,  the  apostles,  and  Jesus  Christ.  In  those 
days  there  was  no  temptation  for  any  man  to  covet  the  place 
of  a  leader  among  Christians,  nothing  to  animate  him  to  acquit 
himself  with  diligence  therein,  but  the  hope  of  a  crown  of 
glory,  when  the  chief  Shepherd  should  appear.  In  this  view 
of  the  matter,  it  will  appear  that  the  New  Testament  was  a 
book  well  calculated  for  all  the  exigencies  of  those  to  whom 
it  was  written  ;  that  it  was  abundantly  full  and  explicit  as  to 
the  whole  concerns  of  their  union  together,  so  as  there  was  no 
room  to  complain  of  any  deficiency  therein  whatsoever. 

When,  by  the  corruption  of  the  gospel,  which  took  place 
very  early,  yea,  began  to  work  before  the  death  of  the  apos- 
tles, a  correspondent  change  happened  in  the  members  com- 
posing the  Christian  assemblies,  as  well  as  their  numbers, 
and  their  union  became  subservient  to  soine  secular  purposes, 
then  they  began  to  look  out  with  the  appearance  of  a  world- 
ly faction,  even  long  before  thejr  got  possession  of  the  power 
and  weahh  of  the  Roman  empire.  So  that  their  minds  were 
fully  ripened  and  prepared  for  that  remarkable  change  in 
their  circumstances,  by  the  time  that  it  happened.  When 
Christians  began  to  appear  as  a  worldly  faction  ;  though  they 
still  laboured  under  the  disadvantages  attending  dissenters 
from  the  established  religion,  yet  there  were  motives  sufficient, 
beside  the  hope  of  being  great  after  death,  to  prompt  men  to 
aspire  after  pre-eminence  among  them.  Many  questions  now 
arose  concerning  subordination,  the  exercise  and  extent  of 
authority,  and  various  other  matters,  necessary  to  be  con- 
sidered by  those  who  would  make  a  decent  and  creditable 
appearance  in  the  world  as  a  religious  party.  It  was  in 
vain  to  consult  the  New  Testament.  A  new  book  of  disci- 
pline was  necessary.  Revered  fathers  gravely  told  lies,  to 
help  on  the  pious  designs.  Learned  questions  also,  concern- 
ing the  Christian  faith,  were  moved,  in  such  a  manner,  as  the 
apostolic  writings,  which  had  been  composed  for  the  vulgar, 
could  by  no  means  decide  them.  The  form  of  sound  words, 
which  the  first  Christians  were  commanded  to  hold  fast,  as 
the  best  preservative  against  heresy,  behooved  now  to  be  laid 
aside,  and  give  place  to  the  wisdom  of  words,  the  wisdom  of 
the  scribes  and  disputers  of  this  world.  However,  to  make 
the  apostles  some  amends  for  this  neglect,  they  knighted 
them,  and  called  them  5ttj«Y5;  even  as  in  latter  ages,  when 


120  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV- 

the  contempt  of  their  doctrine  increased,  they  deified  them 
under  that  title. 

If  matters  went  on  thus  among  Christians  while  yet  the 
dissenting  party,  what  shall  we  say  of  them  when  their 
earthly  reign  began  ;  when  their  ambition,  which  had  hith- 
erto been  confined  in  lording  over  one  another,  began  now 
to  extend  itself  over  the  Roman  empire  ?  Now  comes  to  be 
revealed  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  in  its  proper  opposition  to 
the  mystery  of  godliness.  Now  takes  place  spiritual  pride, 
reigning  through  worldly  splendour,  wealth,  and  power,  to 
the  deceiving  and  destroying  of  mankind.  This  reign  came 
to  its  height,  when  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  Roman 
empire  was  broken,  having  {fnai'  y»'oj/y»?i')  one  opinion  or  creed, 
agreed  to  give  their  power  and  strength  to  the  Christian 
leaders,  now  "  the  lords  of  the  Gentiles,"  united  under  one 
head. 

The  places  most  noted  in  Scripture  for  impiety,  uncleanness, 
and  idolatry,  are  only  the  figures  or  shadows  of  this  grand 
and  religious  establishment,  which  is  the  mystery  of  them ; 
so  "  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  our 
Lord  was  crucified,"  namely,  Jerusalem.  In  opposition  to  the 
true  church,  whose  children  are  begotten  by  the  power  of 
Christ's  word,  it  is  set  forth  under  the  notion  of  an  unchaste 
woman,  pretending  to  be  the  spouse  of  Christ,  yet  committing 
fornication  with  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  having,  by  their 
concurrence,  muhitudes  of  children,  not  begotten  by  his  power. 
We  are  left  at  no  loss  to  know  what  state  of  things  is  pointed 
forth  by  this  woman ;  for  the  angel  says  to  John,  Rev.  xvii,  7, 
"  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman,"  Ver.  18,  "  The 
woman  which  thou  sawest,  is  that  great  city  which  reigneth 
over  the  kings  of  the  earth."  She  was  prefigured  by  that 
great  nursery  of  idolatry,  Babylon,  the  lady  of  kingdoms ; 
so  has  this  name  written  on  her  forehead,  "  Mystery,  Babylon 
the  great,  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  abominations  of  the 
earth." 

Against  this  establishment,  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God 
are  directed.  Some  people  have  imagined,  that  Antichrist  is 
to  be  destroyed  by  armies  raised  by  Protestant  princes  for  that 
purpose.  The  New  Testament,  pointing  both  to  his  decay 
and  utter  ruin,  speaks  thus,  2  Thess.  ii,  8  ;  "  Whom  the  Lord 
shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy 
with  the  brightness  of  his  coming."  And  what  we  have  al- 
ready seen  of  the  fact,  corresponds  best  with  this:  for  if,  by 
the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  we  understand  his  word,  we  shall  find 
that  the  Scriptures,  which  some  ages  ago  began  to  be  pub- 


LET.    IV. J  THF.RON   AND  ASPASIO.  121 

lished  in  the  vulgar  tongues  of  Europe,  have  been  the  chief 
means  of  consuming  or  weakening  that  monst'-ous  power, 
after  which  the  world  has  so  long  wondered.  By  these  wri- 
tings, some,  in  several  countries  of  Europe,  were  taught  to 
fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  him;  to  reclaim  the  many 
prostituted  sacred  names  back  to  the  sacred  things  to  which 
they  belonged ;  to  renounce  all  reverence  for  the  religious 
establishment,  yea,  boldly,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  pro- 
nounce all  the  holy  things  thereof  to  be  profane ;  to  assert  the 
rights  of  sovereign  princes  and  states ;  and  to  maintain,  that 
subjection  from  every  soul,  ecclesiastics  as  well  as  others,  was 
due  to  the  higher  powers. 

Some,  I  say,  were  thus  taught ;  and  much  greater  num- 
bers who  could  not  take  in  the  former  part  of  this  lesson, 
readily  embraced  more  or  less  of  the  rest.  So  that  whole 
kingdoms  revoked.  In  these  religious  factions,  quickly 
arose,  headed  by  such  as  had  tasted  the  sweets  of  the  grand 
establishment,  and  made  their  court  to  the  prince.  Only  one 
could  succeed  in  each  kingdom  or  state,  so  as  to  obtain  an 
establishment  in  its  favour.  These  favourite  factions  were 
no  sooner  in  quiet  possession  of  their  kingdom,  than,  like 
genuine  daughters,  they  imitated  all  the  practices  of  their 
great  mother,  as  far  as  the  several  princes  in  whose  keeping 
they  were,  would  permit.  They  had,  indeed,  withdrawn 
abruptly  from  their  mother's  house,  and  found  it  necessary 
in  many  respects  to  expose  her  shame,  in  order  to  secure 
paramours  for  themselves.  But  when  once  they  were  settled 
as  mistresses  in  their  several  houses,  they  began  to  repent  of 
having  carried  their  invectives  to  too  great  a  height  ao-ainst 
her.  They  found,  that  most  of  her  maxims  were  necessary 
for  their  own  support ;  and  that  it  was  not  prudent  to  be 
always  throwing  out  reproaches  that  might  easily  be  re- 
torted. 

However,  by  the  daughters  revolting,  and  setting  up  for 
themselves,  the  power  and  influence  of  the  great  maternal 
house  was  considerably  weakened.  We  must  likewise  bear  in 
mind,  that  the  light  which  had  shone  forth  from  the  Scriptures, 
at  the  time  of  the  rupture,  could  not  be  smothered ;  but  still 
continued  to  operate  on  the  minds  of  many,  in  almost  every  re- 
gion of  the  Christian  empire;  (for  long  before  this  time  the 
Avord  Christian  had  acquired  a  very  e.xtensive  signification.) 
Some  feared  God,  and  suffered  accordingly,  not  a  few  unto 
d-ath,  even  by  the  hands  of  the  daughters  who  still  pretended 
to  lead  more  reformed  lives  than  their  mother.  More  reformed, 
11 


122  LETTERS  ON  lET.   IV. 

I  say,  because  even  the  mother,  who  seemed  to  have  quite 
lost  the  sense  of  shame,  found  it  necessary  to  reform  a  little 
in  some  points  of  decorum.  So  that,  in  our  time,  the  diffe- 
rence betwixt  her  and  them  is  far  from  being  so  remarkable 
as  one  would  have  expected  at  first,  from  the  violence  of  the 
rupture.  Many  more,  who  saw  not  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
gospel,  so  as  to  embolden  them  to  run  all  risks  for  the  sake 
of  it,  found  yet,  by  means  of  it,  so  much  light  as  enabled 
them  to  see,  and,  as  far  as  their  timidity  for  their  worldly  in- 
terest would  allow,  openly  expose  the  shameful  maxims  and 
practices,  both  of  the  parent  and  the  offspring.  The  more 
speculative  men  of  this  sort,  finding  themselves  on  the  one 
hand,  by  the  authority  of  the  book,  then  referred  to  as  the 
last  resort  by  all  disputants,  entirely  freed  from  all  reverence 
for  religious  establishments,  and  not  finding  themselves  bound 
on  the  other,  by  that  peculiar  evidence  of  the  Christian  truth, 
which  binds  the  few  who  believe  it,  turned  out  what  we  may 
call  freethinkers,  ox  academics*  These  became  leaders,  in 
their  way,  to  numbers  of  others  who  read  little,  and  think 
less ;  but  yet,  are  capable  of  shining  in  company,  by  means 
of  some  smart  and  free  sayings  which  they  have  picked  up 
in  conversation.  From  this  source  of  freethinking,  arises  a 
strong  balance  against  the  reverence  claimed  by  spiritual 
pride,  as  it  works,  either  among  those  who  are  in  place,  or 
those  who  long  to  be  so. 


*  It  may,  then,  with  great  jasticc,  be  affirmed,  that  to  the  Scriptures 
we  are  indebted  for  the  principles  of  hberty  from  ecclesiastical  influ- 
ence; in  declaiming  on  which,  many  writers  have  sought  to  distinguish 
themselves  as  men  of  genius,  and  which  arc  now  pretty  generally  un- 
derstood. I  find  that  no  less  is  acknowledged  by  a  noted  freethinker,  in 
a  late  History  of  Great  Britain,  vol.  1,  p.  332,  where  describing  a  certain 
religious  class  of  people,  who  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century  fell  in- 
deed into  the  same  mistake,  as  all  those  do  who  connect  the  Christian  reli- 
gion with  politics;  but  who,  notwithstanding,  retained  so  much  of  that 
humanity,  which  they  had  learned  from  the  Scriptures,  as  to  maintain  and 
promote  toleration,  or  liberty  of  conscience  ;  he  says,  "  Of  all  Christian 
sects,  this  was  the  first  which,  during  its  prosperity,  as  well  as  adversity, 
always  adopted  the  principle  of  toleration.  And  it  is  remarkable  that  so 
reasonable  a  doctrine  owed  its  origin,  not  to  reasoning,  but  to  the  height 
of  extravagance  and  enthusiasm."  1  need  not  tell  any  one  nccjuainted 
with  this  author's  style,  that  these  words,  the  height  of  extravagance  and  en- 
thusiasm, stand  chiefly  for  the  height  of  attention  to  the  Scriptures,  and  rev r- 
rcnccfor  the  Deity,  whose  character  is  (havvn  there.  But  it  may  be  pro- 
per to  observe,  that  when  this  autlior  culls  the  doctrine  of  toleration  reu- 
sonable,  he  means,  that,  according  to  reason,  toleration  ought  to  be  extend- 
ed towards  all,  except  those  who  fear  the  Deity  more  than  men,  or  re- 
gard his  precepts  more  than  their  own  temporal  ijitercst.  This  is  abun- 
dantly ni;mifest  from  his  historical  remarks. 


L1.T.   !V.j  TIIERON   AND   ASFASIO.  123 

To  reconcile  our  minds  to  ihis,  and  many  other  morlifyinf^ 
strokes  daily  concurring  therewith,  it  must  be  considered, 
that,  according  to  the  prophecies  of  the  New  Testament,  the 
time  is  now  come  wherein  God  purposed,  in  the  course  of 
his  providence,  to  pour  contempt  upon  that  reverence  which 
had  so  long  taken  the  place  of  his  fear  in  the  hearts  of  men : 
and  this  grand  work  of  judgment  God  accomplishes  by  means 
of  that  very  book,  which  the  sons  of  pride  thought  they  might 
trifle  with  at  pleasure,  and  wantonly  accommodate  to  all  the 
purposes  of  their  avarice  and  ambition.  By  arguments 
originally  drawn  from  this  book,  not  a  few  of  the  princes  and 
great  men  of  the  earth  have  been  emboldened  to  jest  with 
freedom,  at  that  which  formerly  made  them  tremble.  By  the 
influence  of  this  book,  some  have  from  time  to  time  appeared 
fearing  God,  and  boldly  declaring  his  judgment  against  those 
who  presumed  to  share  among  them  more  or  less  of  the  fear 
due  to  him,  withal  patiently  bearing  the  effects  of  the  resent- 
ment of  their  enemies ;  an  evident  token  of  salvation  to  the 
former,  and  of  perdition  to  the  latter.  By  means  of  hints 
thrown  out  from  this  book,  the  nations  begin  to  see  that  they 
have  a  right  to  be  what  they  were  before  the  Christian 
leaders  usurped  dominion  over  them:  all  the  authority  and 
weight  of  these  leaders  notwithstanding ;  and,  no  doubt,  the 
freethinkers  and  their  followers  have  as  good  right  as  their 
patriarch  Socrates,  to  laugh  in  private  at  the  establishment 
which  they  pusillanimously  truckle  to  in  public  for  the  sake 
of  their  interest. 

It  is  meet,  in  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  that  those 
who  have  drawn  over  the  nations  a  form  of  godliness,  in  op- 
position to  the  power  thereof,  should  now  be  recompensed 
with  a  mock-worship,  and  be  reverenced  in  hypocrisy.  It  is 
a  meet  and  proper  sight,  to  behold  those  who  have  conse- 
crated temples  made  with  hands,  in  opposition  to  the  true 
tabernacle  where  God  dwells  in  very  deed,  polluting  them 
with  their  own  hands,  and  stowing  them  with  the  carcasses  of 
the  dead.  It  is  meet  that  we  should  see  those  who  imagined, 
that  the  purity  of  the  Christian  doctrine  might  be  better  pre- 
served, and  insincerity  better  guarded  against,  by  creeds  of 
human  composition,  than  by  the  ancient  form  of  sound  words, 
daily  employing  those  very  creeds  as  the  engines  of  the  gross- 
est dissimulation  and  perjury. 

The  time  is  now  come  for  the  kings  of  the  earth  to  hate 
her  whom  they  have  so  long  aggrandized,  and  to  make  her 
desolate  and  naked.  So  that  we  may  hear  something  like 
the  complaint  of"  widowhood  and  loss  of  children"  already  be- 


124  LETTERS  ON 


li:t. 


gun.  We  have  had  for  some  thne  past  in  Britain,  a  succession 
of  the  best  of  kings,  who  have  laid  hold  on  every  opportunity 
consistent  with  the  public  tranquility,  for  shortening  the  horns 
of  ecclesiastical  power.  This,  together  with  the  wit  of  free- 
thinkers, the  graver  opposition  of  dissenting  factions,  and  to 
crown  all,  the  free  declarations  that  have  been  made  of  the 
scriptural  doctrine  concernhig  the  kingdom  of  htavtn,  has 
served  greatly  to  harass  the  ministers  of  that  power,  and  to  fill 
their  kingdom  with  darkness.  What  a  dreadful  shock  was 
given  to  the  whole  fabric  of  ecclesiastical  power  in  England, 
by  one  branch  of  that  doctrine,  setting  forth  the  plain  import 
of  these  words  of  Jesus,  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  uorld  ? 
It  proved  like  the  shock  of  an  earthquake,  loosing  the  foun- 
dations, and  rending  the  w'alls  of  the  building  so  as  that  it  can 
never  be  repaired.  In  consequence  of  this,  many  gnawed 
their  tongues  for  pain,  and  (by  reproaching  the  doctrine  con- 
cerning his  heavenly  kingdom)  blasphemed  the  God  of  hea- 
ven, because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not 
of  their  deeds.  The  bitter  exclamations  of  impotent  chagrin, 
which  are  to  this  day  conveyed  to  our  ears  by  the  press,  are 
sufficient  indications,  that  the  smart  of  this  stroke  is  still  very 
sensibly  felt.  And  who  shall  sympathize  with  them  ?  Chris- 
tians dare  not ;  for  thus  runs  the  inspired  proclamation  ;  Re- 
joice over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  ajjosiles  and  ;^)ro- 
fkz't^:  fo-T  God  hoJh  avmg'cd  you  on  kcr. 

Nor  will  the  apostles  encourage  us  to  join  in  the  lamenting 
outcry  against  freethinkers,  whom  the  clergy  have  thought 
proper  to  brand  with  the  name  of  infidels,  as  a  mark  of  infa- 
my on  such  as  renounce  allegiance  to  them,  and  reject  the 
book  which  they  have  made  the  charter  for  national  Chris- 
tianity. For  if,  turning  our  eyes  to  the  ancient  gospel,  and 
distinguishing  the  faithful  by  professed  attachment  to  it,  by  in- 
fidels we  should  mean  all,  who,  with  open  mouih,  oppose  the 
gospel  which  Paul  preached,  we  may  find  them  as  numerous 
among  those  who  reverence,  as  among  those  who  scoff  at  our 
religious  establishments:  yea,  we  shall  find  the  clergy  them- 
selves to  be  the  chief  promoters  of  infidelity ;  though,  at  the 
same  time,  many  of  them  show  as  great  aversion  at  being  seen 
in  company  with  a  professed  unbeliever,  as  if  they  thought 
their  sacred  persons  would  be  defiled  by  conversing  with  him. 

And  why  should  it  grieve  a  Christian,  to  see  freethinking 
prevailing,  instead  of  what  is  fully  as  opposite  to  the  fear  of 
God,  yea,  of  more  efficacious  and  extensive  influence  to  the 
deceiving  and  destroying  of  mankind  ?  But  perhaps  it  will 
be  said,  that  every  nation  must  have  some  pub.'ic  leading  in 


LET.  IV. 1  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  125 

religion  to  supply  the  defects  of  civil  government.  Be  it  so  ; 
yet  it  is  well  known,  that  other  religions  have  answered  this 
purpose  as  well  as  Christian.*  The  Christian,  said  I !  it  is 
absurd  to  imagine,  that  the  religion  taught  by  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  ever  was  or  can  be  established  in  the  earth 
till  the  resurrection  of  the  just ;  however  it  may  in  various 
shapes  be  corrupted,  and  accommodated  to  the  inclinations  of 
the  people,  so  as  to  serve  every  worldly  purpose,  as  well  as 
any  other  religion.  Agreeably  to  what  is  now  said,  we  find 
it  fashionable  with  gentlemen,  who  openly  count  it  ridiculous 
to  worship  Jesus  Christ  as  God,  to  declare  seriously,  that 
though  one  may  have  difficuhies  about  the  evidence  of  Chris- 
tianity, "yet  surely  such  a  person,  if  he  had  any  regard  for 
the  good  of  mankind,  would  be  careful  not  to  weaken  the 
credit  of  a  religion  so  excellently  calculated  to  promote  public 
and  private  happiness,  unless  he  had  power  and  authority  to 
establish  a  better  in  its  stead. "f  The  reason  here  given,  is 
undoubtedly  sufficient  to  make  this  way  of  speaking  always 
reputable,  and  to  remove  all  fear  that  it  will  become  popular  to 
reproach  Christianity,  name  and  thing,  however  much  the 
pride  of  speculation  may  overrule  every  other  consideration 
in  the  minds  of  a  few.  We  find  now  that  the  freest  thinkers 
have  fallen  upon  a  method  to  profess  themselves  very  zeal- 
ous Christians.  A  late  writer  of  memoirs,|  describing  some 
Christians  of  his  own  stamp,  says,  "  They  hearken  to  the  great 
Immanuel  within,  the  word  and  voice  of  everlasting  reason, 
and  are  as  blessed  and  happy  as  creatures  can  be  by  the  re- 
deeming power  of  the  holy  Jesus." Christianity  is  now 

become  so  very  pliable  a  thing,  that  it  is  not  worth  any  man's 
while  to  be  an  apostate  from  it.  We  have  already  got  avow- 
ed Christian  Deists,  and  we  may  as  conveniently  have  Chris- 
tian Atheists  ;  for  as  every  man  claims  the  privilege  of  using 
words,  especially  those  of  fixed  repute,  in  his  own  sense,  one 
has  no  more  to  do  but  understand  by  Immanuel  the  eternal 
fitness  of  things,  the  soul  of  the  world,  or  even,  if  he  pleases, 
everlasting  reason. 

The  apostles  were  strangers  to  the  modern  advantages  of 


*  I  presume  tliat  no  man  will  lake  upon  him  to  affirm,  tliat  the  obliga- 
tion of  an  oath,  for  in.stancc,  has  presently  more  wei;srht  on  the  minds  of 
rither  clergy  or  laity  of  any  established  church  in  Europe,  than  it  had 
on  the  Roman  .'soldiers  before  the  Chri.stian  a>ra  began. 

*  See  Monthly  Review  for  F'ebruary  1755,  p.  09. 

t  See  Memoirs  of  several  ladies  of  Great  Britain,  p.  345. 
11* 


126  LETTERS  ON  [ttt.   IV. 

Christianity;  they  neither  taught  nor  found  them  ;* — they 
left  the  care  of  kingdoms  and  states  in  the  hands  of  the  powers 
ordained  of  God  for  that  purpose  : — they  preached  remission 
of  sins  to  all  sorts  of  men,  so  considered  all  men  as  sinners: 
but  they  concerned  themselves  as  little  about  the  voice  of  great 
men,  as  about  those  of  slaves ; — they  formed  no  party  to  make 
head  against  the  religious  establishment  of  any  country  :  they 
only  declared,  as  they  still  do  by  their  writings,  that  all  not 
hearkening  to  them,  shall  perish  in  the  next  world. 

The  effect  of  this  was,  some  moved  with  the  fear  of  evils 
not  seen  as  yet,  gave  ear  to  them,  and  followed  them  ;  others 
laughed  at  them  ;  and  many,  being  provoked,  persecuted  them. 
The  apostles  were  no  Avay  disconceited  upon  this  ;  they  knew 
it  was  the  genuine  effect  of  their  testimony,  and  would  be  so, 
to  the  end  of  the  world.  We  never  find  them  murmuring  at 
the  prevalence  of  infidelity,  or  the  small  success  the  gospel 
had  in  the  world.  It  gave  them  no  disturbance,  to  see  unbe- 
lievers neglecting  the  Lord's  supper,  the  Lord's  day,  and  the 
rest  of  the  Christian  institutions  ;  nor  did  they  call  upon  any 
such  to  observe  them.  These  institutions  were  then  sacred 
to  the  honour  of  Christ,  and  not,  as  now,  to  that  of  the  Chris- 
tian teachers.  So  the  apostles  desired  to  see  none  pretending 
regard  to  these  institutions,  but  such  as  depended  on  Christ 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  It 
gave  them  no  concern  what  sort  of  men  tcore  the  professor' s 
garb.  They  were  so  overjoyed  with  the  company  of  the  I't- 
tle  societies,  which  they  gathered  in  different  places,  chiefly 
out  of  the  dregs  of  mankind,  that  they  neither  sought  after 
men  of  quality,  priests,  or  philosophers,  nor  regretted  the  want 
of  their  company  ;  and  I  may  add,  neither  did  they  court  the 
favour  of  the  mob :  and  though  it  was  with  difficulty  they 
could  escape  from  one  city  to  another  with  whole  bones;  yet 
we  find  them  rejoicing  in  the  success  of  the  gospel  as  univer- 
sal, 2  Cor.  ii.  14.  "Now  thanks  be  to  God,  which  always 
causeth  us  to  triumph,  in  Christ,  and  maketh  manifest  the  fa- 
vour of  his  knowledge  by  us  in  every  place. 

They  openly  evinced  the  falsehood  of  the  religion  estab- 
lished in  every  country  where  they  came  ;  yet  they  hadnei- 

*  If  we  attend  to  many  eminent  Chri.-^tian  writers,  describing  to  us  the 
persecuted  rise  and  subseqi^cnt  flourishinff  progress  of  Christianity,  we 
shall  be  led  to  consider  the  sufterings  of  the  apostles  and  first  Christians, 
in  much  the  same  light  with  the  hardiness  of  the  more  eaily  Romans, 
namely,  as  laying  a  foundation  for  that  worldly  ease  and  grandeur  to 
their  posterity  or  successors,  which  difficult  times  and  circumstances 
denied  to  themselves. 


LET.    IV. J  THERON   AND   ASPASIO  127 

ther  the  will  nor  the  power  to  establish  any  other  in  its  stead. 
All  religions,  except  theirs,  were  political ;  all  political  reli- 
gions except  the  Jewish,  were  human  contrivances  for  the 
temporal  benefit  of  particular  states  and  kingdoms,  and  had 
no  other  object  in  view  but  worldly  happiness.  The  apostles, 
in  propagating  iheir  religion,  had  no  other  object  in  view  but 
happiii'^ss  on  the  other  side  of  death  to  men  of  all  nations. — 
And  this  object  they  steadily  pursued  in  every  state  or  king- 
dom where  they  came,  without  giving  any  other  cause  of 
umbrage  to  those  of  the  established  religion,  than  the  impres- 
sion made  on  the  minds  of  individuals  of  different  classes  by 
the  simple  force  of  the  truth  of  their  doctrine  ;  which  was  des- 
titute of  all  allurements  to  the  passions  of  men,  and  had  no 
tendency  to  spirit  up  any  worldly  faction  against  either  the 
established  church  or  the  state.  They  preached  and  prac- 
tised that  scheme  of  the  most  universal  benevolence,  Avhich 
drew  upon  them,  and  will  always  draw  upon  their  followers, 
the  contempt  and  hatred  of  all  sorts  of  men.  And  why  should 
their  followers  be  greatly  disturbed,  whatever  party  prevail  or 
rule  the  fashion  in  this  world  1  Is  it  not  enough  for  them  if 
they  shall  reign  in  the  next? 

They  proposed  no  worldly  happiness,  public  or  private,  to 
their  followers;  they  displayed  none  of  those  ingredients 
which  compose  the  delicious  philter  which  reigning  Chris- 
tianity holds  forth  in  her  golden  cup,  and  Avhich  the  Apoca- 
lypse calls  the  wine  of  her  fornication  with  the  kings  of  the 
earth;  whereby  she  so  allures  and  intoxicates  the  nations, 
that  it  is  almost  to  as  little  purpose  to  mention  the  ancitnt  doc- 
trine of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  even  in  the  hearing  of  our 
most  orthodox  Christians,  as  it  would  be  to  deliver  a  lecture 
concerning  sobriety  in  the  midst  of  a  company  inflamed  with 
wine.  The  principles  of  the  connection  betwixt  church  and 
state,  having  a  very  natural  hold  of  every  avenue  to  their 
hearts,  are  far  dearer  to  them  than  any  thing  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  contains  They  can  be  in  raptures  with  dreams  about 
national  reformation  ;  they  can  even  indulge  a  melancholy 
kind  of  pleasure,  in  bewailing  a  sinful  land  and  degenerate  age, 
because  it  gratifies  their  religious  pride  to  appear  in  the  charac- 
ter of  mediators  and  intercessorsfor  people  whom  they  imagine 
to  be  much  worse  than  themselves.  But  as  for  the  ancient 
doctrine  of  the  connection  between  Christianity  and  the  cross, 
it  might  do  very  well  in  the  infancy  of  the  church,  when  times 
were  bad; — they  know  better  things.  And,  indeed,  were  I  not 
writing  to  one  who  holds  the  sacred  text  for  the  initial  figure 


128  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

in  all  his  computations,  I  might  have  spared  myself  the  trou- 
ble of  touching  upon  this  subject. 

It  maybe  noted  here  as  a  proof  of  what  is  above  said,  that 
it  has  been  imagined,  in  opposition  to  all  history  and  daily 
observation,  that  the  world  has  been  much  improved  in  good- 
ness by  means  of  Christianity ; — that  the  spirit  of  that  religion 
has  been  nationally  diflused  into  the  lives  and  manners  of  the 
people  in  the  countries  where  it  has  been  established.  The 
state  of  the  world  when  Christ  came,  has  been  considered, 
and  the  epidemical  vices  displayed:  and  it  has  been  imagined, 
that  Jesus  Christ,  by  condemning  those  vices,  abolished  the 
practice  of  them;  and  by  recommending  the  opposite  virtues, 
infused  the  spirit  of  them  into  nations.  There  had  been  no 
great  marvel  in  one's  dreaming  so,  nor  yet  in  his  telling  his 
dream  in  the  most  open  manner,  even  from  the  pulpit  ;*  but 
that  such  a  dream  should  not  only  be  gravely  received  by  the 
public  for  truth,  but  even  admired,  I  dare  say  you  Avill  readily 
agree  with  me,  cannot  be  accounted  for  on  any  other  principles 
than  those  already  mentioned. 

But,  perhaps,  when  we  value  ourselves  on  our  religious 
establishment,  the  stress  of  our  gloryingdoesnot  lie  so  much  in 
ourjegal  advantages,  nor  inthesociety  formed  upon  them,  as  in 
the  soundness  of  our  creed,  composed  by  our  venerable  ances- 
tors, and  daily  receiving  additional  weight  from  the  many  emi- 
nent personages  who  have  supported  it  with  distinguished 
learning  and  abilities.  If  this  be  the  case,  methinks  the  ground 
of  our  glorying  would  be  still  more  solid,  should  we  return  again 
into  the  bosom  of  the  Roman  church,  which  we  are  sure  was 
once  founded  on  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets ; 
whereas  the  utmost  that  can  be  said  of  the  other  establishment 
now  in  being,  is,  that  it  was  founded  on  a  ci>ecd  extracted  from 
them  by  fallible  men,  whose  skill  and  fidelity  arc  liable  to  be 
buestioned.  Moreover,  we  have  still  extant  a  true  and  faith- 
ful copy  of  the  articles  of  the  Roman  church's  creed  in  Paul's 
epistle  to  them,  which  was  once  cordially  b(  lievcd  and  obeyed, 
and  it  is  to  this  day  acknowledged  for  a  divine-inspired  wri- 


*  See  a  .sermon,  entitled,  Tfie  sitiiatio7i  of  the  world  at  the  time  of  Christ's 
ajrpearance,  and  its  connection  tcith  the  success  of  his  reli<rion,  considered : 
reviewed  with  appl.iu.-e,  both  at  London,  and  at  Edinhnrgh,  where  it  wa.s 
j)reached,  January  6,  1755.  At  the  last  mentioned  place  it  was  pu!)licly 
upheld,  perhaps  justly  enough,  as  a  proper  specimen,  showing  how  much 
the  art  of  preaching  has  of  late  been  improved  in  Scotland. 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  129 

ing  by  them :  and  though  the  true  import  thereof  be  now 
much  mistaken  and  almost  forgotten  among  them;  yet  such 
of  us  as  loved  Paul's  doctrine  best,  might  still  value  ourselves 
on  being  the  truest  members  of  the  best  founded  church  in 
the  world,  as  cleaving  closest  to  its  original  fundamental 
articles. 

Methinks,  if  we  judge  it  an  amiable  thing  in  others,  wo 
ought  also  ourselves,  when  writing  on  Christianity,  to  refrain 
from  the  "low  singularities  of  a  party,"*  and  confine  our- 
selves to  the  public  authentic  maxims  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. For,  to  turn  our  eyes  again  toward  Rome,  were  there 
only  two  men  there  holding  by  the  genuine  sense  of  Paul's 
epistle,  these,  in  the  eyes  of  the  apostles  would  be  considered 
as  the  only  representatives  of  the  ancient  Roman  church,  as 
the  only  confessors  of  the  Catholic  faith;  and  all  the  rest,  as 
taken  up  with  low  singularities,  unprofitable,  and  vain,  how- 
ever firmly  established  and  highly  dignified  on  the  earth. 

Moreover,  it  ought  to  be  remembered,  that  very  many  of  the 
admirers  of  the  doctrine  of  Mess.  Boston  and  Erskine,  are  high- 
ly offended  at  the  English  hierarchy  and  worship,  and  not  x 
few  of  them  sworn  enemies  thereto ;  and,  therefore,  no  un- 
necessary stumbling-block  should  be  laid  in  their  way,  to  scare 
them  at  the  doctrine  we  would  commend  to  their  attention  ;  es- 
pecially when  WG  ourselves  are  persuaded,  that  "faith  and  love 
inspirit  the  breast,  and  regulate  the  progress  of  each  private 
Christian.  These  unite  the  ivhole  congregation  of  the  faith- 
ful to  God  and  one  another,"!  whereas,  all  other  bonds  of 
union,  however  judiciously  framed  by  men,  have  always 
served  to  divide  and  alienate  them  from  (5ne  another. 

It  ought  also  to  be  considered,  that,  on  account  of  these  sin^ 
gularities,  which  are  indeed  extremely  low,  even  as  earth  is 
in  respect  of  heaven,  the  way  of  truth  has  been  much  evil 
spoken  of,  and  its  native  evidence  greatly  obscured.  The 
Apostle  Peter,  after  setting  before  us  the  evidence  of  the  truth 
we  have  been  considering,  plainly  prophecies,  that  a  handle 
would  be  given  for  this  evil  speaking  by  self-seeking  Chris- 
tian teachers,  and  the  multitudes  following  them.  The  great 
majority  of  our  champions  against  infidelity,  have  undertaken 
the  defence  of  national  Christianity,  and  have  magnified  the 
gospel  as  a  scheme,  nobly  adapted  for  promoting  national  hap- 
piness; by  which  means  they  have  had  both  the  apostles  and 
the  freethinkers  for  their  antagonists  at  once,  an  opposition  by 


*  iMeditations,  vol.  1,  p.  148. 
t  Meditatioas,  vol.  2,  p.  232. 


130  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

fir  too  formidable  for  any  set  of  men  to  cope  with,  now  tluit 
the  magistrate  suffers  no  means  of  deciding-  such  disputes  but 
by  the  pen.  Many  standing  in  awe  of  the  philosophers,  have 
been  ashamed  of  every  thing  in  the  gospel  offensive  to  them, 
and  so  have  endeavoured  to  recommend  Christianity  to  them, 
as  the  completes!  system,  or  an  improvement  of  their  maxims. 
They  have  studied  to  soften,  or  dissemble  every  thing  about 
it,  that  they  imagined  could  have  given  the  least  disgust  to 
the  divine  Plato  :  yet  some  philosophers  are  so  iancy  as  to 
refuse  it  after  all.  In  short,  our  Christian  leaders  have  taken 
pains  to  remove  from  the  gospel  every  thing  that  anciently 
proved  a  stumbling-block  to  the  Jew,  or  foolishness  to  the 
Greek ;  and  still  they  complain  of  the  decay  of  true  Chris- 
tianity. However,  both  they  who  speak  evil  of  the  way  of 
truth,  and  they  who  furnish  the  occasion,  are,  though  far 
from  intending  so,  jointly  conspiring  to  fulfil  the  prophecies 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  to  strengthen  the  evidence  of  the 
truth  in  the  minds  of  them  who  believe  it,  even  as  all  parties 
amongst  the  Jews,  in  their  joint  opposition  to  Jesus,  conspired 
to  fulfil  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  concerning  him, 
and  to  assure  his  disciples  that  he  was  the  Christ. 

I  might  now  proceed  to  consider,  how  on  the  holy  mount, 
or  in  Jesus  Christ  glorified,  appeared  the  meaning  of  the  in- 
stitution of  the  ancient  oracle,  the  anointing  of  kings,  priests, 
and  prophets,  with  oil,  which  made  the  face  to  shine,  &c.. 
whence  many  useful  observations  might  arise  to  us  in  confir- 
mation of  the  more  ancient  Scriptures,  and  serving  to  illustrate 
the  difference  betwixt  primitive  and  modern  Christianity :  but 
to  take  in  all  the  views  which  are  concentred  in  this  grand 
event,  would  require  general  survey  of  the  whole  Scriptures, 
the  great  and  leading  design  of  which  is,  to  set  before  us  the 
sufl^erings  of  Christ  issuing  in  his  glory. 

If  we  take  our  station  on  the  holy  mount,  we  have  a  pros- 
pect backward  to  the  beginning  of  time,  and  forward  to  the 
end  thereof,  when  the  mystery  of  God  shall  be  finished,  and 
all  old  things  give  place  to  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth, 
containing  the  new  Jerusalem,  which  shall  be  illuminated  by 
the  glory  of  God  shining  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ ;  when 
the  whole  company  of  them  who  w^ere  redeemed  from  among 
men,  and  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
shall  fully  experience  what  meaneth  grace  reigning  ihroiigli 
righteousness  unlo  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Methinks  it  is  time  for  us  to  acknowledge,  that,  wdth 
great  propriety,  and  on  the  solidest  grounds,  the  Apostle  Pe- 


LET.   IV.]  THEllON   AND    ASPASIO.  131 

ter  on  this  occasion  asserts,  that  the  prophetic  word,  or  all  that 
the  prophets  had  written,  had  now  received  additional  con- 
firmation. For  thus  I  presume  a  young  scholar  behooved  to 
give  the  literal  version  of  his  words  ; 

And  icvharc  more  firm   the   proplietic    word.* 

It  was  no  small  recommendation  of  the  truth  of  the  apos- 
tolic testimony,  concerning  Jesus  being  the  Christ,  that  it  con- 
firmed and  established  the  writings  of  the  ancient  prophets. 
The  prophetic  word,  after  all  the  evidence  it  formerly  had 
of  coming  from  God,  was  to  he  verified,  and  so  to  receive  ad- 
ditional confirmation  by  its  accomplishment.  Aside  from  its 
accomplishment  in  Jesus,  we  cannot  find  therein  any  fixed 
sense  or  unity  of  design;  but  when  we  see  all  its  lines  meet- 
ing in  Jesus,  like  the  rays  of  the  sun  collected  in  a  focus, 
there  arises  thence  the  brightest  and  strongest  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  w  hat  the  apostles  witnessed,  concerning  the  power 
and  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  the  old  and 
new  revelation  tallying  exactly  together  in  such  a  number 
and  variety  of  circumstances,  as  utterly  exclude  all  suspicion 
of  human  contrivance,  serve  mutually  to  support  and  strength- 
en each  other,  and  to  establish  beyond  all  doubt  that  great 
truth,  which  alone  can  support  the  heart  of  man  in  his  last 
agonies. 

The  apostles  were  traduced  as  forsaking  Moses  and  the 
prophets ;  but  they  could  with  a  good  grace  assert,  that  they 
held  their  writings  by  a  firmer  handle,  and  so  had  a  greater 
reverence  for  them  than  any  of  their  adversaries.  Accord- 
ingly Peter  commends,  and  enforces  the  attention  Christians 
were  then  giving  to  the  prophetic  word,  and  so  furnishes  the 
true  key  of  interpretation  to  all  Christians  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  when  he  says,  they  did  wefl  giving  heed  to  it,  as  unto 
a  light  shining  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  should  datcn, 
and  the  daij-star  arise  in  their  hearts :  knowing  this  first, 
that  no  prophecy  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion. JFor  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  tcill  of 
man;  but  holy  men  of  God  spake,  movnd  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  there  were  false  prophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as 

*  Is  it  not  surprising  to  reflect  how  miicli  has  been  written  by  learned 
disputants  on  this  text,  laboriously  contending  with  eacli  other,  in  what 
So'use  the  prophetic  word  might  be  said  to  be  more  sure  than  the  most 
solemn  and  august  revelation  that  ever  was  delivered  from  (Jod  to  men. 
na:nol7,  that  on  the  holy  mount!  But  there  are  few  who  incline  to  ob- 
s.*rve  tiie  import  of  this  grand  revelation. 


132  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

there  shall  be  false  teachers  among  you,  &c.  They  gave 
heed  to  it  as  to  a  fliinter  and  more  confined  light,  referring  to 
a  clearer  and  more  extensive  one  that  was  to  come,  and  which 
they  found  exhibited  to  them  in  the  testimony  of  the  apostles 
concerning  Jesus.  They  considered  it  as  a  light  shining  hi 
a  dark  place,  until  the  day  slwuld  dawn  ;  as  giving  a  fainter 
view,  like  a  lamp  in  the  night,  of  the  same  things  that  Avere 
to  be  more  clearly  seen  by  the  new  revelation,  which  is  com- 
pared to  the  dawning  day  and  day-star  ;  even  as  Peter,  near 
the  close  of  this  epistle,  calls  the  state  of  things  after  Christ's 
second  coming,  the  day  of  God,  when  that  glory  which  now 
only  dawns  to  men  in  the  report  concerning  it,  shall  shine 
forth  in  broad  day,  and  so  supersede  the  use  of  the  clearest 
revelation  or  testimony  that  can  be  given  of  it. 

But,  then,  the  prophetic  word  referred  not  only  to  a  clearer 
revelation,  but  also  to  the  effect  it  Avas  to  have  on  believers, 
which  Peter  calls  the  day-star  arising  in  their  hearts:  and  to 
the  same  purpose  he  says  to  Christians  in  his  first  epistle, 
The  prophets  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto 
you,  ichen  they  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
and  the  glory  that  should  folloiv.  They  who  believed  the 
gospel,  so  beheld  the  Divine  glory  therein,  and  were  led  by 
the  power  and  evidence  thereof,  to  obey  it  from  the  heart,  and 
patiently  suffer  for  its  sake,  received,  according  to  Christ's 
promise,  the  Comforter,  the  Spirit  of  God  bearing  witness 
with  their  spirits,  that  they  were  the  children  of  God ;  and 
as  the  sufferings  of  Christ  abounded  in  them,  so  did  their  con- 
solation also  abound  by  him.  While  they  were  thus  influ- 
enced by  the  love  of  the  truth,  and  had  their  joy  enlarged  in 
the  midst  of  those  circumstances  which  naturally  make  the 
hearts  of  men  to  die  within  them,  they  had  in  their  hearts  a 
begun  experience,  or  sensible  proof  of  the  glory  following  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  so  enjoyed  the  utmost  confirmation  of 
the  prophetic  word,  that  can  take  place  in  this  mortal  state. 
They  had  the  foretaste  of  life  from  the  dad,  the  earnest  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance,  ascertaining  their  entrance  into  the  joy 
of  their  Lord,  even  as  the  day-star  ushers  in  the  day.  Thus, 
by  means  of  the  gospel-revelation,  as  the  day-star  arising  in 
their  hearts,  they  knew  in  themselves  the  accomplishment  of 
the  prophetic  word ;  they  had  an  inward  proof  of  the  poAver 
and  coming  of  Christ ;  very  different  indeed  from  Avhat  the 
Jews  thought  of,  but  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  true  sense  of 
the  prophecies. 

It  remains  that  we  take  some  notice  of  the  rule,  Avhich  Pe- 


LET.    IV. ]  THEllON   AND   ASPASIO.  133 

ter  lays  down  as  a  first  principle,  to  be  carefully  attended  to  in 
all  the  use  we  make  of  the  prophetic  word,  either  for  under- 
standinir  the  doctrine  of  the  Messiah,  or  enjoying  the  com- 
forts thereof  in  our  hearts.  We  must  proceed,  Knowing 
THIS  FIRST,  that  no  prophecf/  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  pri- 
vate interpretation:  for^  &c.  Now,  the  Apostle  leaves  us 
at  no  loss  to  know  what  he  means  by  private  interpretation, 
while  he  plainly  states  an  opposition  betwixt  the  will  of  man 
and  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Apostle's  ar- 
gument, then,  must  run  thus :  Whereas,  prophecy  came  not 
by  the  will  of  man,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  according  to  the 
fancy  or  pleasure  of  men,  but  according  to  the  interpretation 
given  of  it  by  God  himself,  from  whom  it  came.  And  this 
interpretation  God  himself  gave,  when  that  notable  voice, 
^Fnu  is  mybeloi'cd  Son,  &c.,  bearing  a  manifest  reference  to 
many  passages  in  the  prophets,  more  especially  Is.  xlii,  1 , 
came  from  Heaven  to  Jesus  at  his  baptism ;  was  uttered  again 
from  the  glory  surrounding  his  person,  in  the  presence  of 
Moses,  Eiiae,  and  three  apostles;  and  was  illustrated  at  large 
by  the  testimony  of  the  apostles,  inspired  for  that  purpose  by 
the  same  Spirit  which  breathed  in  the  prophets. 

In  this  saying  is  set  forth  the  great  salvation,  which  began 
to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord  Jesus.  So  we  find  him  making 
constant  reference  to  it,  saying,   /  have  told  yon  the  truth, 

which  I  have  heard  of  God. 1  speak  to   the  world  those 

things  which  I  have  heard  of  him  :  and  praying  for  his  dis- 
ciples,— /  have  given  unto  them  the  ivords  which  thou 
gavest  me.  The  same  thing  is  confirmed  to  us  by  them  who 
heard  him,  God  bearing  them  witness  according  to  his  own 
will.  In  their  testimony  is  displaj^ed  the  full  proof,  with  the 
whole  import  and  use  of  what  he  began  to  speak.  And  in 
the  foresight  of  false  teachers,  who  would  interpret  the  word 
of  prophecy  accordinof  to  their  own  will,  the  apostles  com- 
mitted the  things  they  testified  to  writing,  that  Christians 
might  be  able,  after  their  decease,  to  have  these  things  always 
in  remembrance,  and  so  be  fortified  against  every  private  in- 
terpretation of  the  prophetic  writings. 

We  are,  then,  to  look  on  the  New  Testament  as  the  only 
public  and  authentic  commentary  on  the  Old :  and  every  gloss 
on  the  Old  not  agreeable  to  the  New,  must  be  thrown  aside 
among  Jewish  traditions,  or  more  modern  legends.  If  the 
whole  Jewish  sanhedrim  had  agreed  on  the  sense  of  a  prophe- 
cy, in  opposition  to  the  inspired  apostles,  it  behooved  to  pass 
for  a  private  interpretation  among  Christians,  and  accordingly 
be  rejected.  And  should  an  cscumenical  council  of  Christian 
12 


134  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

teachers  unanimously  agree  to  accommodate  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament  to  any  other  things  than  those  revealed 
in  the  New,  we  ought  to  regard  their  decision  as  at  best  but 
a  private  interpretation,  and  despise  it  as  a  low  singularity. — 
For  Peter  does  not  here  oppose  private  interpretation  to  any 
sense  of  the  prophecies  that  might  be  authorized  by  Chris- 
tian teachers,  and  approved  by  the  multitudes  following  them  ; 
but  he  opposes  it  to  the  public  interpretation  given  of  those 
writings  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  New  Testament ;  yea,  in 
the  warning  he  here  gives  against  private  interpretation,  he 
seems  plainly,  by  the  context,  to  have  his  eye  on  Christian 
teachers  followed  by  many,  who  would  corrupt  the  Christian 
procession,  by  interpreting  the  Old  Testament  according  to 
their  own  will,  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  God  declared  in 
the  New. 

And  thus,  indeed,  the  corruption  of  Christianity  was  pri- 
vily introduced,  under  the  colour  of  Divine  authority,  produ- 
ced from  the  Old  Testament ;  and  when  any  corruption  of 
the  Christian  doctrine  was  once  introduced,  and  found  agree- 
able to  the  passions  of  men,  it  was  easy,  by  the  help  of  tradi- 
tion, and  a  little  punning  on  words  and  phrases,  to  accom- 
modate the  New  Testament  thereto ;  or,  if  that  could  not 
readily  be  done,  to  set  it  aside  as  deficient  in  that  respect. 
Accordingly,  we  find  there  have  been,  and  still  are,  many 
Christian  teachers  much  followed,  confidently  applying  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  to  a  sort  of  worldly  power 
and  coming  of  Christ,  very  difTerent  from  what  the  apostles 
made  known  to  their  hearers  and  followers.  Their  inter- 
pretation of  these  writings,  however  agreeable  to  our  notions 
of  national  and  worldly  happiness,  is  very  unsuitable  to  that 
conformity  to  Christ  in  suffering  here,  and  glory  hereafter, 
unto  which  his  whole  church  is  predestinated,  and  which  the 
apostles  made  known  as  the  true  sense  and  scope  of  the  pro- 
phetic word :  yet,  many  zealous  professors  of  Christianity 
and  their  teachers  are  so  fond  and  confident  of  such  interpre- 
tations, that  they  will  be  ready  to  charge  any  one  who  rejects 
them  with  denying  the  authority  of  the  Old  Testament.  But 
the  reason  is,  they  find  their  account  in  them,  and  they  have 
their  reward. 

On  how  many  things,  foreign  to  the  religion  of  Jesus,  has 
the  zeal  of  later  Christians  been  spent,  through  their  neglect- 
ing the  warning  here  given  by  Peter  ?  Hence,  the  English 
priesthood,  uninterrupted  succession,  &c.  Hence,  the  Scots' 
covenanted  work  of  extirpation,  for  the  decayed  state  of  which 
many  devout  people  still  groan,  repining  against  God  and 


LET.  IV,]  THFRON  AND  ASPASIO.  135 

the  king,  because  they  are  deprived  of  the  pious  exercise  of 
power  to  murder  their  fellow-creatures.  Hence,  some  san- 
guine critics  on  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  who  would  seem  to 
be  far  better  skilled  in  the  sense  of  them  than  ever  the  apos- 
tles were,  after  grossly  perverting  the  sacred  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  person  of  Christ,  the  character  of  God,  and  the 
ground  of  our  acceptance  with  him,  go  about  to  persuade  us 
to  deal  with  one  another,  on  pretence  of  heresy,  as  Joshua 
did  with  the  idolatrous  Canaanites :  whereas,  where  these 
critics  to  be  judged  according  to  their  own  impious  law%  they 
behooved  to  suffer  capital  punishment,  for  seeking  to  seduce 
men  from  the  true  faitli,  not  to  mention  their  malicious  design 
against  the  lives  of  their  fellow-creatures.  Hence,  the  many 
very  learned  and  very  trifling  disputes  about  church  govern- 
ment, or  who  should  be  greatest  among  Christians,  Hence, 
much  presumptuous  evil  speaking  of  the  powers  ordained  of 
God,  under  pretence  of  zeal  for  the  headship  and  sovereignty 
of  Christ.  But  it  Would  be  tedious  to  touch  on  all  the  topics 
which  present  themselves  here,  and  which  have  afforded  a 
copious  fund  of  reproach  against  Christianity  to  its  more 
open  enemies.  I  would  only  say  in  the  general,  that  the 
zeal  of  our  leaders  in  orthodoxy  to  establish  a  kingdom  for 
the  Messiah,  in  imitation  of  God's  ancient  kingdom  in  Ca- 
naan, can  be  equalled  in  absurdity  by  nothing  but  the  attempts 
of  our  more  fashionable  clergy  to  accommodate  the  New 
Testament  to  the  Greek  philosophy,  or  something  equivalent. 

Yet  if,  holding  every  other  source  of  knowledge  suspect- 
ed, we  can,  by  the  light  of  the  apostolic  writings,  illustrating 
to  us  the  ancient  Scriptures,  distinguish  the  way  of  truth  from 
every  false  Avay,  we  shall  find  every  handle  of  reproach 
given  to  its  avowed  enemies,  from  any  quarter  in  the  world 
called  Christian,  serving  to  confirm  and  establish  our  minds 
in  the  truth,  as  we  shall  perceive  every  source  oi  error  ope- 
rating exactly  as  the  apostles  foretold.  And  far  from  having 
occasion  to  join  in  the  common,  indolent,  and  fruitless  com- 
plaint, of  the  badness  and  darkness  of  the  times,  as  if  we  ex- 
pected better  in  this  mortal  state ;  we  shall  find  reason  to 
adore  the  Divine  Providence,  overruling  the  course  of  this 
present  evil  world,  and  making  light  to  arise  to  us  on  all 
sides  ;  we  shall  find  no  change  of  affairs  worth  the  waiting 
for,  but  the  appearance  of  the  glory  of  the  great  God,  and 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Now%  to  the  general  reflections  on  the  evidence  of  the  truth, 
which  introduced  the  consideration  of  the  above  passage  in 
Peter,  it  may  be  added,  that  as  all  the  sacred  doctrines  arise 


136  LETTERS  OX  [LET.  IV. 

from  divine  works,  we  can  know  no  more  of  the  things  of  God, 
than  he  is  pleased  to  show  us  by  his  own  explanation  of  his 
own  works.  They  who  would  push  their  inquiries  further, 
intruding  into  those  things  which  they  have  not  seen,  must  be 
left  to  enjoy  all  the  pleasure  that  the  pride  of  reasoning, 
and  their  boasted  hberty  of  doubting,  can  afford  them.  But 
such  as  pretend  to  admit  the  divine  works,  and  yet  are  dissatis- 
fied with  the  doctrine  given  along  with  them,  so  go  about  to 
frame  some  other,  more  suitable  to  their  taste,  act  both  an 
absurd  and  disingenuous  part ;  absurd,  while,  by  reasonings 
drawn  from  what  they  see  in  nature,  they  go  about  to  explain 
facts,  which  manifestly  reverse  the  course,  and  surpass  the 
sphere  thereof  altogether;  disingenuous,  because  they  are 
obliged  to  use  every  artifice  to  disguise  or  dissemble  the  plain 
and  simple  doctrine  connected  with  those  facts  in  the  Scrip- 
ture.    Let  us  just  point  an  instance  or  two. 

The  Scripture,  while  it  manifests  one  God,  in  opposition 
to  all  idols,  and  infinitely  eminent  above  all  creatures,  at  the 
same  time  discovers,  in  the  one  Divine  nature  or  Godhead, 
such  a  distinction  as  is  betwixt  the  sender  and  the  sent  among 
men,  such  a  distinction  as  admits  of  the  reciprocal  use  of  the  per- 
sonal pronouns  /,  thou,  and  he;  and  such  phrases  as  these.  Let 
us  make — One  of  us — We  are  one,  &c. ;  and  so,  for  brevity's 
sake,  has  been  called  personal.  Now,  we,  who  are  not  capable 
of  knowing  what  it  is  that  constitutes  different  persons  among 
the  creatures,  cannot  expect  the  Scripture  should  teach  us  what 
lies  at  the  bottom  of  this  distinction  of  divine  persons.  We 
can  only  learn  from  thence,  how  they  appear  to  be  different 
by  their  several  offices,  relations,  &c.  And  this  is  all  we  can 
know  of  the  difference  of  persons,  who  cannot  be  distinguished 
by  the  common  properties  of  their  nature.  We  can  find  no 
likeness  to  the  personal  distinction  in  the  Deity  among  angels 
or  men  :  and  this  is  the  force  of  all  the  objections  against  the 
account  given  of  it  in  Scripture.  We  cannot  find  two  or  more 
persons,  who  are  one  angel,  or  one  man.  And  there  was  no 
necessity  for  this,  seeing  another  angel  or  man  might  be  made 
to  answer  all  the  purposes  for  which  such  a  distinction  could 
be  supposed  needful.  But  without  such  a  distinction  in  the 
Deity,  there  could  never  have  appeared  such  all-sufllciency 
and  perfection  of  character,  as  the  Scripture  sets  before  us  for 
the  object  of  our  worship,  nor  could  there  ever  have  been  any 
ground  of  hope  for  the  guilty.  And,  indeed,  it  is  only  those 
whose  comfort  depends  entirely  on  it,  who  will  heartily  ap- 
prove the  revealed  account  of  the  Deity.     While  the  Scripture 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  137 

clearly  distinguishes  those  works  wherein  the  Deity  appears 
acting  alone,  it  also  points  forth  three,  who  are  often  de- 
clared to  be  ONE,  as  acting  each  his  part  in  the  same  work, 
even  in  all  the  works  by  which  the  one  true  God  is  distin- 
guished from  all  idols  and  creatures.  And  particular  care 
is  taken  to  ascribe  every  Divine  work  and  perfection  to  him 
who  humbled  himself  unto  death,  that  the  evidence  might 
be  very  clear,  where  the  objection  might  seem  strongest;  and 
this  not  in  a  few  more  obscure  passages,  but  in  the  most  open 
manner  throughout  the  Scripture;  and  far  more  suitable  to 
strike  the  conscience,  than  any  artful  cautious  form  of  words 
framed  by  the  wisdom  of  men. 

Yet,  though  this  doctrine  does  by  no  means  rest  upon  the 
skill  of  the  critic  ;  and  though  the  most  crafty  reasoner,  how- 
ever much  he  might  divert  himself  by  playing  on  his  own 
words,  was  never  able  to  fix  the  least  inconsistency  upon  it ; 
we  may  find  many,  who  pretend  no  small  regard  to  the  Scrip- 
ture, ready  to  urge  the  same  question  with  the  Jews  on  the 
like  occasion,  Hoio  long  dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt  ? —  Tell 
us  plainly.  They  can  show  us  how  it  ought  to  have  been 
expressed,  in  order  to  have  been  worthy  of  their  belief;  and 
appear  ready  to  credit  it,  had  it  been  so  expressed.  But  shall 
we  believe  them?  May  we  not  rather  judge  they  would  ex- 
claim against  it  as  blasphemy,  as  the  Jewish  rulers  did,  when 
Jesus,  in  the  most  explicit  manner,  so  as  to  supersede  all  oc- 
casion for  any  more  questions,  declared  who  he  was  in  their 
presence  ? 

But  what  I  had  chiefly  in  view,  in  touching  on  this  subject, 
was  to  note  the  strange  use  such  men  make  of  the  Scripture. 
If  we  hearken  to  them,  we  are  at  a  loss  to  see  God  at  all  in 
the  book,  which,  at  first  sight,  seemed  to  glow  with  a  discov- 
ery of  his  peculiar  glory,  from  beginning  to  end.  We  lose 
sight  of  the  infinite  eminence  of  the  Deity  above  all  crea- 
tures, by  seeing  a  creature  set  up  before  us,  who  is  al- 
most God,  and  who  must  receive  worship  almost  equal  to 
what  is  due  to  the  Most  High.  Yea,  we  cannot  see  God 
alone  appearing  to  us  in  any  work.  So  we  are  left  at  the 
mercy  of  these  gentlemen,  to  tell  us  what  God  is,  what  is  his 
character,  and  what  peculiar  homage  we  must  pay  him  ;  for, 
according  to  them,  we  shall  find  little  else  in  the  Scripture, 
but  something  like  the  creed  of  our  eastern  neighbours,  "  The 
great  God,  and  Mahomet  his  prophet."  Yet  we  shall  find 
the  Christian  piety  of  such  men  respected  by  those  who  pro- 
fess to  hold  the  revealed  distinction  in  the  Deity.  But  not 
every  contender  for  the  Athanasian  creed  loves  the  foremen- 
12* 


138  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

tioned  doctrine,  as  held  forth  in  the  Scrijiturcs.  I  shall  only 
add  here,  that  it  is  no  small  commendation  of  this  doctrine  to 
the  conscience  of  man,  that  whereas  Polytheism  infinately 
debases  every  divine  perfection,  this  opens  to  view  an  unex- 
pected grandeur  and  all-sufficiency  in  the  Deity,  far  surpass- 
ing all  the  most  exalted  thoughts  of  the  wisest  men,  yea,  draw- 
ing the  utmost  admiration  of  angels. 

I  SHALL  only  mention  another  instance.  The  Scripture 
clearly  asserts  the  Sovereignty  of  God,  as  having  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  hardening  whom  he  will  ; 
and  repels  the  strongest  objection  that  ever  was  made 
against  it.  Why  cloth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  for  who  hath  resisted 
his  will?.  It  is  well  known,  that  in  point  of  reasoning,  aside 
from  the  authority  of  revelation,  the  opposite  doctrine  is  press- 
ed with  difficulties  at  least  equal  to  those  which  affect  this. — 
Yet  many  who  profess  to  reverence  the  Scriptures  as  a  divine 
revelation,  reject  this  doctrine  with  scorn,  though  it  be  reveal- 
ed there  as  clear  as  Avords  can  make  it ;  and  that  not  in  one 
or  two  passages,  but  interwoven  with  the  whole  style  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  supported  by  a  variety  of  facts  recorded  there. 
They  reject  it,  why  ?  Because  they  know  not  what  it  is  to 
be  God,  and  to  have  understanding  and  power  like  him. — 
They  can  entertain  no  notion  of  human  freedom,  unless  it  be 
altogether  independent  of  God.  They  cannot  raise  their 
thoughts  of  God  so  high,  as  to  admit  that  he  can  make  crea- 
tures, having  a  will  of  their  own,  or  freedom  of  choice,  so 
as  to  be  praise  or  blame  worthy  in  the  exercise  thereof:  yet 
all  the  while  living,  moving,  and  having  their  being  and  de- 
pendence on  him,  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will,  and  overrules  the  motions  of  his  creatures, 
in  a  manner  far  beyond  what  they  arc  conscious  of,  and  such 
as  no  way  enters  into  their  consideration,  among  the  thoughts 
or  motives  which  immediately   influence  their   conduct.* — 

*  It  may  warrantably  be  .said,  that  man  has  a  will  or  freedom  of  choice 
of  his  own,  distinct  from  that  of  the  Deity.  But  he  who  imagines  he 
has  any  will,  liberty,  or  power  of  action,  altoj^ether  independent  of  the 
Deity,  may,  to  borrow  an  expression  from  a  late  writer,  justly  be  said 
to  have  a  very  deceitful  sense  or  feeling  thereof;  for  both  the  works  and 
words  of  God  concur  with  tlie  natural  conscience  of  man,  to  show  the 
vanity  of  any  such  imagination.  Yet  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  human 
nature  is,  in  its  present  state,  affected  with  a  twofold  deceitful  .«ense  o'C 
liberty  and  power.  Man,  not  apprehending  any  compulsory  restraint 
upon  his  choice  of  right  or  wrong,  or,  to  speak  more  properly,  depriving 
him  of  choice,  presumes  he  may  take  the  liberty  to  disobey  the  dictates 
of  his  conscience,  pr  the  known  will  of  God^  with  hopes  of  impunity ; 


LET.  IV.]  TIIEUOX   AND   A8PA.SI0.  130 

Why,  Because  whatever  machines  they  can  make,  they  can 
not  imitate  God  in  this  ;  and  because  they  cannot  see  among- 
the  creatures  any  subordination  resembling  this.  But  we 
have  instances  in  Scripture,  both  of  repentance  and  despair 
in  men,  who,  after  they  sinned,  knew  that  their  sin  was  infal- 
libly foretold  ;  yet  neither  he  who  repented,  nor  he  Avho  des- 
paired, drew  the  least  alleviation  of  his  guilt  (but  the  con- 
trary) from  the  divine  predilection ;  as  well  knowing,  that 
it  no  way  entered  into  his  thoughts  as  a  motive  to  sin.  And, 
indeed,  the  conscience  of  every  man  must  first  and  last  bear 
witness  to  this,  that  when  he  sins,  he  is  not  tempted  of  God, 
but  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed. 

The  objectors  are  not  willing  to  allow  any  superiority  to 
God,  but  such  as  one  creature  may  be  supposed  to  have  over 
others.  They  incline  still  to  think  of  God  as  resembling  the 
first  magistrate  in  a  free  state,  who  is  bound  himself  to  observe 
the  laws    he  enforces  upon   others.     Hence  the  many  idle 


for  this  pre.*iiinptuou.s  imagination  is  the  spring  of  all  his  disobedience. 
And  he  likewi.<;e  readdy  imagines,  he  has  power  to  ccmpass  his  own 
designs,  independendy  of  the  secret  purpose  and  predetermination  of 
the  Deity,  and  his  sovereign  direction  of  all  events.  Both  these  ima- 
ginations are  closely  connected  together,  and  took  place  in  human  nature 
at  the  same  time,  from  the  same  source.  They  were  instilled  into  it  by 
the  first  deceiver,  who,  l)y  artful  reasoning,  corrupted  man's  nature  or 
original  sense  of  dignity,  by  filling  him  with  the  thought  of  being  as 
Gotl.  This  sense  of  dignity,  when  corrupted,  came  justly  to  be  called 
^ridc.  These  imaginations  then  arise  front  pride.  As  pride  is  founded 
HI  deceit,  all  its  feeUngs  are  deceitful.  And  they  may  justly  be  considered 
as  comiter-fedings  to  the  natural  ones,  namely,  the  dictates  of  conscience, 
implanted  in  man's  original  frame  by  the  Deity.  All  mankind  are  con- 
ducted by  these  counter-feelings,  except  those  in  whom  they  are  over- 
ruled by  the  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  which  alone  can  teach 
men,  how  umeserved  submission  to  the  Deity  can  be  consistent  with 
their  happiness.  Since  man  thought  of  being  as  God,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  this,  disappointment  and  misery  have  attended  all  his  schemes 
of  happiness,  it  h;is  proved  irwiiter  of  endless  disputes  among  mankind, 
to  reconcile  the  reuiaining  traces  of  the  dignity  of  human  nature,  once 
framed  for  better  circumstances,  with  the  various  continued  tokens  and 
notices  of  the  majesty  and  sovereignty  of  the  Supreme  Being,  which 
the  unwearied  ellorts  of  the  pride  of  men,  in  all  ages,  have  never  yet 
been  able  to  efface.  Some,  exaltiug  man,  lose  sight  of  the  Deity ;  others, 
aduiitting  the  existence  of  the  Deity,  lose  sight  of  human  nature.  The 
former,  while  they  woukJ  have  man  be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil, 
can  find  no  place  for  the  Divine  sovereignity.  The  latter,  admitting 
some  notion  of  the  Divine  sovereignty,  are  at  a  loss  to  see  how  man  is 
capal)le  of  doing  good  or  evil,  or  of  being  praise  or  blame  worthy  in  his 
actions.  The  reasonings  of  the  former  lead  to  speculative,  those  of  the 
latter  to  practical  Atheism.  The  former  lead  us  to  think  Uiere  is  no  God, 
the  latter  to  act  its  if  there  wa.s  none. 


140  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

reasonings  we  have  heard  about  the  ends  of  government, 
which  men  with  great  assurance  apply  to  God ;  not  reflect- 
ing, that  of  every  earthly  potentate  it  must  be  said,  that  his 
very  being  as  a  prince,  his  dignity,  wealth,  and  power,  con- 
sist in  his  having  subjects.  Yet  mortals,  as  once  was  said 
of  the  haughty  prince  of  Tyre,  set  their  hearts  as  the  heart 
of  God,  and  think  of  circumscribing  them  by  the  same  laws 
by  which  they  themselves  are  bound.  But  how  shall  that 
law  which  commands  devotion  to  what  is  above  us,  and  our 
regard  to  our  equals  be  applied  to  the  Deity  1  For  thus  runs 
the  sum  of  the  divine  law  toman.  Thou  shall  love   Ike  Lord 

tky  God  with  all  thy  heart, and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 

Can  we  find  a  superior  to  whom  the  Deity  owes  reverence  ; 
or  an  equal  to  whom  he  owes  affection  % 

The  objectors  are  not  satisfied,  how  God  can  say,  as  he  does 
to  Cyprus,  {Is.  xlv,  7,)  in  opposition  to  the  two  principles  of 
the  Persians,  /  form  the  light,  and  create  darkyiess:  I 
make  peace,  and  create  evil :  I  the  Lord  do  all  these.  They 
are  not  satisfied  how  he  creates  the  latter,  in  order  to  show  his 
glory,  and  proper  delight  in  opposing,  defeating,  and  making 
them  give  place  to  the  former,  so  as  to  appear  the  author*  of 


*  Author,  when  applied  to  the  Deity,  is  an  expression  borrowed  from 
the  works  of  men,  referring  to  the  appearance  they  have  of  genius, 
contrivance,  and  design,  and  denotes  the  contriver.  For  we  do  not  in- 
quire who  is  the  author  of  a  heap  of  rubbish,  or  any  disorderly  assem- 
blage of  things,  wherein  no  design  appears.  Moses's  description  of  the 
first  condition  of  the  earth,  is  variously  rendered  by  the  several  Greek 
translators ;  but  it  is  manifest  they  all  intend  to  point  out  darkness  and 
confusion,  or  a  chaos.  Of  this  we  are  informed,  God  was  the  cause  of 
creator.  Yet  he  does  not  appear  to  tis  causing,  creating,  or  giving  it 
being,  under  any  notion  we  have,  either  by  nature  or  revelation  of  the 
operation  of  power,  or  of  the  connection  betwixt  cause  and  elfect.  All 
that  we  can  know  of  the  matter  then  is,  that  he  was  cause  or  creator  of  it, 
in  a  maimer  known  only  to  himself,  and  vvliich  the  minds  of  creatures 
were  never  framed  to  understand.  The  highest  notion  given  us  in 
Scripture  of  the  Deity's  operation  as  a  cause  is,  that  he  spake,  mid  it 
teas;  which  some  way  corresponds  with  our  highest  idea  of  the  exertion 
of  power  among  men :  JFhere  the  tcord  of  a  king  is,  t'lcre  is  poiicr. 
Hence  the  centurion,  in  the  gospel,  raised  his  idea  of  the  divine  power 
of  Jesus.  But,  then,  the  Deity  is  not  exhibited  to  us  as  speaking,  till 
he  connnands  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness.  Here  God  first  pre- 
sents himself  to  our  apprehension  as  an  autlior.  His  manner  of  causing, 
and  the  elfect,  are  set  before  us  in  their  connection.  The  power  of  the 
Divine  Spirit  is  represented  as  in  readiness  to  execute  what  was  spoken  ; 
and  the  Divine  approbation  is  signified,  in  beholding  with  complacence 
as  good  the  work  done,  according  to  the  word  spoken. 

Ciod  never  appeared  to  men,  but  in  operating  what  is  good,  and  in 
opposing  what  is  evil.  It  is  true,  the  state  of  darkness  and  confu.siou 
is  first  related  to  us.     But  man  never  had  occasion  to  be  puzzled  with 


LET.   IV,]  TIIERON   AND   ASPASIO.  Ml 

lig-ht  and  poaco.  They  cannot  look  witli  attciitivo  ddiirlt 
on  the  great  architect  proceeding-  in  his  work,  and  rcavini^Mip 
to  view  his  beautiful  fabric,  out  of  a  confused  heap  of  un- 
shapely materials,  till  once  they  be  satisfied  how  he  procured 
these  materials,  and  where  he  found  them  so  unshapely.  And 
to  tell  many  reasaners  he  created  them,  sounds  only  in  their 
ears  like  saying,  he  found  them  where  they  were  not.  Yet, 
thus  the  first  scene  of  the  grand  drama  of  the  universe  is 
opened.  As  soon  as  the  curtain  is  drawn,  or  any  abject 
offered  to  our  thoughts,  or  rather  when  our  minds  are  carried 
back  from  ihe  present  beauty  of  the  universe,  to  the  remotest 
point  of  view,  a  dark  confused  mass  is  presented.  And  we 
are  informed,  by  a  short  prologue,  that  God  was  the  cause  or 
beginner  of  the  whole,  to  guard  us  against  imagining  any 
other  eternal  principle.  And  this  is  all  we  can  learn  of  the 
matter.  To  pry  farther  back  is  utterly  in  vain.  But  we  shall 
receive  all  reasonable  satisfaction,  if  we  will  have  patience  to 
attend  on  God,  proceeding  in  what  is  more  properly  called 
his  work,  which  he  carries  forward  in  so  gradual  a  manner, 
and  so  inviting  to  our  attention,  as  plainly  to  show,  he  wants 


the  contemplation  of  this  state  of  things;  nor  could  he  be  infonned  of 
it,  till  after  he  \va.s  acquainted  with  light  and  order.  The  information, 
then,  while  it  carried  back  his  thoughts  to  chaos,  as  the  remotest  point  of 
view,  or  tlie  boundary  of  his  imagination,  behooved  to  heighten  his  idea 
of  the  beautiful  workmanship,  he  was  already  acquainted  with. 

Our  apprehension  of,  or  delight  in  what  is  good,  is  always  heightened 
in  proportion  as  we  perceive  it  contrasted  with  the  opposite  evil,  or 
as  our  view  of  the  contrast  is  enlarged.  We  have  a  higher,  as  well  as 
clearer  idea  of  wisdom  and  power,  in  the  production  of  light  and  order 
out  of  opposite  principles,  than  we  could  have  had  without  such  oppts.- 
tion. 

It  is  easy  to  apply  what  is  now  said  to  the  entrance  of  sin  into  the  world. 
In  the  third  chapter  of  (ienesis,  we  have  the  author  particularly  described 
to  us,  as  introducing  it  into  the  world  by  deceitful  words  and  actions. 
At  the  same  time,  tlie  Deity  appears  opposing  it,  in  the  most  exphcit 
manner.  Besides,  what  else  is  sin  but  disaffection  to  the  Deity,  in  the 
mind  of  a  creature  bound  by  the  highest  oblinations  to  obedience  ?  In  the 
very  nature  of  the  thing,  then,  we  cannot  think  of  the  Deity  on  the  one 
hand,  and  sin  on  the  other,  without  perceiving  the  greatest  opposition 
betwixt  them. 

It  may,  with  great  confidence,  l>e  said,  that  never  wa.s  any  word  or 
work  of  God  heard  or  seen  by  men,  that  did  not  carry  in  it  proofs  of 
his  good  intention  and  opposition  to  evil.  In  the  New  Testament,  we 
see  God  as  an  autlinr  by  what  he  is  said  to  be  the  God  of;  as,  God  is  not 
of  confusion,  but  of  peace.  To  give  this  expression  a  familiar  turn  in 
English,  our  translators  have  said,  (lod  is  not  the  author  of  cot  fusion.  Si  c. 
Accordingly,  he  often  takes  the  titles  of  God  of  peace,  cmisolotion,  all 
grace  ;  &c. ;  and  in  opposing  evil,  the  God  of  vengeance. 


142  LETTERS  ON  [lET.  1%' 

to  be  more  especially  known  to  us  thereby.  We  shall  per- 
ceive him  in  every  part  of  his  work  speaking-,  acting,  and  be- 
holding what  is  made  with  delight,  or  seeing  it  good,  in  op- 
position to  the  state  wherein  it  was  before  :  and  this,  day  after 
day,  till  he  rests  with  man  on  the  seventh,  from  all  his  works, 
which  he  created*  to  make.  Gen.  ii,  3. 

I  scarcely  need  to  add,  that  the  case  is  the  same  with  re- 
spect to  the  entrance  of  sin  and  misery  into  the  world,  and 
the  grand  design  which  God  is  carrying  forward,  of  making 
thence  to  arise  the  brightest  discovery  of  righteousness  and 
salvation  together  ;t  as  is  plainly  intimated  in  the  words 
immediately  following  the  last  quotation  from  Isaiah.  As 
the  sinful  state  of  mankind  is  often  compared  to  the  first  con- 
dition of  the  earth,  and  salvation  from  sin,  to  the  producing  of 


*  Here  creating  is  plainly  used  in  its  distinguished  sense,  hinted  at  in 
the  foregoing  note ;  for  it  is  often  used  for  making,  and  sometimes  includes 
both  senses,  to  wit,  the  formation  of  all  things,  as  well  as  the  finding  matter 
to  work  upon,  or  the  making  room  for  the  divine  working  to  appear. 
Perhaps  it  includes  both  these  senses,  in  the  summary  view  given  us  of 
the  production  of  all  things,  in  the  first  verse  of  the  Bible.  The  Hebrew- 
word  for  creating,  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  actions  of  men,  as  Josh, 
xvii,  15.  18,  where  it  seems  to  be  used  for  clearing  out  among  forests,  or 
making  room  for  beginning  a  settlement.  The  Greek  translators,  not 
finding  any  fitter  expression  for  denoting  the  distinguished  sense  of  this 
word,  in  the  passage  of  Moses  above  referred  to,  have  said,  Which  God 
BEGAN  to  males.  There  is  no  action  among  men  that  afi^brds  an  idea  in 
any  respect  similar  to  the  distinguished  sense  of  this  word.  We  must 
rest  satisfied,  then,  with  the  information  given  us,  that  God  is  the  beginner 
of  all  things,  in  a  manner  peculiar  to,  and  known  only  to  himself;  even 
as  the  progress  and  issue  of  all  things  is  in  his  hands.  Accordingly,  he 
distinguishes  himself  from  all  idols  and  creatures,  both  in  understanding 
and  in  power,  by  taking  to  himself  the  tide  of  thk  first  and  the  last. 

This  is  not  the  only  instance  of  a  distinguished  sense  of  words  in  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis :  for  surely  we  must  understand  the  words,  earth, 
darkness,  deep,  and  waters,  v.  2,  in  a  sense  distinguished  from  what 
they  signify  after  the  earth  is  fully  formed.  And  it  is  evident,  that  such 
distinction  was  unavoidable,  in  describing  to  men  the  first  origin  and 
formation  of  all  things. 

t  The  province  of  man  is  to  imitate  God,  and  concur  with  him  in 
his  work  of  bringing  good  out  of  evil,  in  doing  the  works  of  righteou.*?- 
ness,  mercy,  and  kindnes.?.  For  in  these  God  manifests  his  character 
to  us ;  in  these  he  exhibits  his  working  to  our  view,  laving  open  all 
his  designs,  so  as  we  might  behold  and  consider  his  work  on  every  side. 
But  how  God  creates  evil,  was  never  intended  for  the  contemplation 
of  creatures ;  nor  were  their  understandings  ever  framed  for  such  an 
inquiry.  This  may  be  justly  considered  as  that  part  of  the  divine  agency 
which  is  hid  behind  the  curtain,  which  can  only  be  understood  by  the 
mind  of  him  who  has  power  to  create,  and  the  particular  knowledge 
of  which  nuist  be  a.s  far  from  being  of  any  benefit  to  creatures,  or  all 
who  have  not  power  to  create,  as  it  is  from  being  suited  to  their  un- 
derstandinsrs. 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  143 

light  and  order  at  the  first,  I  shall  only  mention  one  passage, 
Is.  Ix,  2, Darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  aiid  thick  dark- 
ness the  people  :  but  the  Lord  shall  rise  upon  thee,  and  his 
glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee.  Thus,  we  see,  that  the  en- 
trance of  sin  and  misery  into  the  world,  was  as  fixed  a  part 
in  the  scheme  of  God  as  the  great  salvation  ;  yet  we  cannot 
see  God  in  the  former,  as  we  do  in  the  latter.  We  cannot  see 
him  by  keeping  our  eye  only  on  the  shade ;  but  if  we  love 
the  grand  picture,  we  will  not  put  the  murmuring  question, 
Why  or  how  did  the  shade  take  place?  The  Apostle  Paul, 
speaking  of  the  happiness  of  those  who  are  reconciled  to 
God  by  Jesus  Christ,  as  not  only  saved,  but  saved  glorying  in 
God,  adds,  Rom.  v.  12.  [dui  tovt,,.)  For  this,  namely,  that  this 
brightest  discovery  of  the  divine  glory,  this  highest  perfec- 
tion of  human  happiness  might  take  place,  sin  entered  into 
the  world.  But,  not  to  enlarge,  methinks  we  may  easily  be 
convinced,  that  Christians  are  not  very  numerous  in  the 
world,  while  we  find  so  few  who  are  fond  of  this  doctrine 
which  fixes  the  dependance  of  man  upon  God  exclusive  of 
all  reserve;*  yet  this  very  doctrine  is  the  sure  refuge  of  the 
wretched  and  the  destitute,  yea,  of  all  who  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Though  this  be  indeed  the  case  according 
to  the  Scripture,  we  may  find  some  who  profess  to  acknow- 
ledge it,  holding  it  so  very  cheap,  as  to  think  those  who  reject 
it  may  yet  be  very  good  Christians  ;  whereas,  if  one  should 


*  How  far  tlie  Deity,  exhibited  in  the  Scriptures,  is  above  what  is  wor- 
shiped by  a  great  part  of  those  who  bear  the  Christian  name,  may  appear 
I'rom  such  passages  as  these:  Gen.  1,  20;  Joseph  says  to  his  brethren, 
But  as  for  you,  ye  thou^Itt  evil  against  me;  but  God  meant  it  unto  good,  to 
bring  topass  as  it  is  this  day,  to  sate  much  people  alive.  Exod.  ix,  16,  it  is 
said  to  Pharaoh,  Aiid  in  very  drjid  for  this  cause  hare  I  raised  thee  up, 
for  to  show  in  thee  my  power,  and  that  my  name  may  he  declared  throughout 
all  the  earth.  Isa.  x,  5 — 16,  O  Assyrian,  tJie  rod  of  mine  anger,  and  the 
staff  in  their  hand  is  vnne  indignation.  I  will  send  him  against  an  hypo- 
critical nation  ;  and  against  the  people  of  my  wrath  wUl  I  give  him  a  charge. 

Howhcit,  he  meaneth  not  so,  neither  does  his  heart  think  so. For 

lie  saith, Shall  I  not,  as    I  have  to  Samaria  and  her  idols,  so  do  to 

Jerusalem  and  her  idols  /      Wherefore  it  shull  come  to  pass,  that 1  will 

punish  the  fruit  of  the  stout  heart  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  the  glory 
tif  his  high  looks.     For  he  saith,  By  the  i^trength  of  my  hand  1  have  done 

it,  and  by  my  u-isdom  :  for  J  am  prudent. Shalt  the  are  boast  itself 

against  him  that  heweth  therewith  ?  or  shall  t/ie  saw  magnify  itself  against 
him  that  shakcth  it  7  &c.  Acts  ii,  23;  Him  being  delivered  by  the  deter- 
minate counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  yz  have  taken,  and  by  wicked 
hands  have  crucified  and  slain.  Chap,  iii,  18,  Those  things  which  God 
before  had  showed  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should 
s'/ffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled.  Chap,  xv,  l-^.  Known  unto  God  are  all  his 
works  from  the  beginning  of  the  icorld. 


144  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   l\  . 

treat  the  writings  of  Cicero  as  the  Christian  enemies  of  this 
doctrine  do  the  Scriptures,  he  would  be  universally  hissed  at 
by  all  the  lovers  of  classical  learning.  But  numbers  rule 
the  fashion,  and  can  keep  one  another  in  counttrnance  as  to 
any  thing.  And  w^e  must  expect  no  other,  while  it  is  the  in- 
terest of  multitudes  to  honour  Christianity  in  pretence,  and 
to  hate  it  in  reality.  However,  we  may  frankly  say,  that  such 
a  one  as  Lord  Bolingbroke,  who  hates  this  doctrine,  and 
therefore  rejects  the  Scripture  which  clearly  supports  it,  acts  a 
for  more  uniform  and  consistent  part.     ^ 

Before  I  conclude  these  miscellaneous  reflections  on 
mi/stery,  which  have  introduced  several  views  of  the  mystery 
of  godliness,  and  that  of  iniquity  ;  we  may  take  some  particu- 
lar notice  of  the  popular  preachers ;  and  the  rather,  as  it  was 
with  men  of  this  sort  that  the  apostles  had  always  the  warmest 
controversy. 

As  they  generally  consider  their  hearers  as  already  per- 
suaded of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  they  have  no  great  occasion 
to  dwell  much  on  the  evidence  thereof.  Their  great  business 
is,  to  animate  their  people  Avho  are  already  believers ;  nay, 
but  who  are  supposed  to  hold  the  gospel  for  true,  as  having 
never  had  any  question  or  doubt  about  it ;  to  animate  them,  I 
say,  and  carry  them  forward  to  the  grand  work  of  the  be- 
lieving application ;  to  conduct  them  through  the  process  of 
what  they  call  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth.  Here  it  is 
that  a  cabinet  full  of  mysteries  is  presented,  of  which  the  po- 
pular preachers  keep  the  key.  Here  it  is  they  show  their 
great  dexterity  in  opening  and  shutting  at  their  pleasure ; 
now  raising  blind  amazement,  then  familiarly  reasoning ; 
now  setting  forth,  as  rational  or  natural,  a  scheme*  of  justiii- 


*  Mr.  Boston,  as  if  he  had  learned  to  apply  mathematics  to  the 
Christian  doctrine,  is  ready  to  show  ns  by  wliat  ratio  or  rule  of  propor- 
tion we  are  to  expect  the  favours  of  the  divine  grace  or  pardoning 
mercy  to  be  distributed  among  men,  who  are  yet  acknowledged  to  be 
equally  destitute  of  any  claim  upon  that  grace,  in  a  sermon  on  Lulie 
xxiii,  42;  entitled,  The  cxtmordbiarij  case  of  (he  thief  upon  the  cross,  &c. 
He  says,  "  It  is  unreasonable  to  think,  that  it  .should  fare  at  last  with  those 
who  have  had  means  of  grace  alllheir  days,  and  despised  them,  as  it 
may  do  with  tlio.se  who  never  have  such  nieans  till  they  cojue  to  die." 
In  like  manner,  we  nuist  say,  it  is  unreasonable  to  think,  that  he  who 
owes  five  hundred  pence  should  be  ibrgiven  as  frankly  as  he  who 
owes  only  fifty.  If  we  hearken  to  this  eminejit  preacher,  and  others 
of  his  class,  we  must  entertain  a  rational  notion  of  divine  grace,  and 
say,  Happy  are  they  who  liave  little  to  be  forgiven,  but  wo  to  the  worth- 
less.    And,  indeed,  it  is  very  common  with  them,  when  they  emerge  a 


LET.   IV.]  THERON    AND  ASPASIO,  145 

cation  as  any  philosopher  could  wish,  then  again  wrapping 
up  all  in  the  clouds.  But  to  avoid  any  ambiguous  play  on 
words,  as  unsuitable  to  the  gravity  of  the  subject,  instead  of 
mysteries  in  the  sense  used  by  them,  I  would  choose  to  borrow 
an  expression  from  some  ancient  professors  of  Christianity, 
censured  by  the  Apostle  John,  and  substitute  the  word  depths. 
Now,  it  may  be  observed  of  these  preachers,  that  while,  on 
the  one  hand,  they  endeavoured  to  regulate  by  natural  prin- 
ciples, suitable  to  the  pride  of  any  reasoner,  that  procedure  of 
the  divine  grace  to  men,  which,  according  to  the  apostles, 
moved  without  the  sphere  of  nature  altogether,  and  always 
showed  itself  in  surprising  events,  contrary  to  human  expec- 
tation :  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  place  where  the  Scripture 
holds  forth  a  clear  and  solid  truth  for  relief  to  the  guilty, 
they  present  to  our  thoughts  an  unfathomable  depth.  If  we 
hearken  to  them,  the  great  point  about  which  our  faith  is 
principally  concerned,  is  a  matter  which  turns  out  to  be  true, 
no  book  nor  man  can  tell  how.  It  does  not  present  itself  to 
us  as  a  truth,  but  as  a  matter  of  no  small  doubtfulness  and 
anxiety.  We  must  toss  it  in  our  hearts  for  some  time,  by 
w^ay  of  a  problem,  and  then  hammer  it  into  a  truth,  as  an  eager 
logician  squeezes  out  a  conclusion  from  betwixt  a  pair  of  pre- 
mises, of  which  the  one  happens  to  be  a  fond  and  bold  con- 
jecture. Yet,  sometimes  they  condescend  to  exert  themselves 
to  make  this  depth  as  fordable  as  possible,  and  that  in  a  man- 
ner which  in  some  sort  may  be  called  mysterious,  as  being 
so  closely  wrapped  up  in  figures  and  similitudes,  as  that  if 
these  were  removed,  little  or  no  meaning  would  remain  behind. 
I  shall  give  a  short  specimen. — In  the  gospel-offer,  we  are 
told,  is  presented  to  the  poor  bankrupt  a  bond  or  bill  endorsed 
to  him,  to  relieve  him  from  his  poverty.  It  is  not  his  as  yet; 
however,  with  much  ado  he  at  lasts  lays  hold  upon  it,  echo- 
ing back  to  the  offer,  and  saying,  Even  so  I  take  it :  upon 
which  he  takes  instruments,  and  places  counsel  to  make  pay- 
ment forthcoming  for  his  relief;  so  it  becomes  his  to  all  intents 
and  purposes. — He  that  is  made  wiser  by  this  reasoning,  may 
rejoice  therein  ! — But  as  I  may  have  opportunities  of  observ- 
ing further  the  arts  of  these  gentlemen  in  the  sequel,  I  shall 
not  enlarge  on  them  at  present. 

I  shall  conclude  these  reflections  with  observing,  that  in  the 
very  entrance  to  the  Chiistian  religion,  the  first  step  we  make 

little  out  of  their  depths  to  address  their  hearers  thus : — "  But  we  uiu.'Jt 
deal  with  you  as  with  rational  creatures,  and  work  upon  you  by  ra- 
tional arffunients." 

13 


146  LETTERS  ON  [LET,  IV. 

carries  us  beyond  the  line  of  nature  altogether ;  that  is,  when 
we  believe  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead. 
Here  the  course  of  nature  is  reversed ;  here  a  new  order  of 
things  quite  above  it  opens  to  our  view.  He  who  admits  this 
fict  as  circumstanced  in  the  gospel-history,  will  find  as  regu- 
lar and  uniform  a  connection  in  all  the  parts  of  the  Christian 
religion,  or  in  all  the  things  that  concern  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  course  of  nature ;  yea,  and 
more  so  ;  seeing  the  course  of  nature  has  been  often  thwarted 
by  the  manifest  interposition  of  its  author,  not  to  mention  the 
interruptions  of  its  ordinary  course  by  uncommon  events ; 
whereas,  that  kingdom  cannot  be  moved.  Seeing,  then,  the 
whole  religion  of  Jesus  stands  or  falls  with  his  resurrection, 
no  man  can  with  a  good  grace  appear  in  quality  of  a  reasoner 
against  any  of  its  doctrines,  but  he  who  disputes  that  fact. 
Accordingly,  some  of  our  boldest  enemies  to  these  doctrines 
have  been  sensible  of  this,  and,  scorning  to  involve  themselves 
in  a  continued  train  of  absurdity  and  self-contradiction,  have 
judged  it  the  shortest  and  most  rational  course,  to  point  their 
battery  against  the  fact  which  supports  them ;  whereas,  all 
who  pretend  to  admit  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  yet  go 
about  to  undermine  any  of  the  doctrines  delivered  by  the 
inspired  witnesses  thereof,  give  manifest  proof  of  gross  inat- 
tention or  disingenuity,  or  rather  both. 


ON    REASON. 

Reason  being  often  contrasted  with  mystery  and  faith,  it 
may  be  proper  to  inquire  what  deserves  the  name  of  right 
reason.  I  say  right  reason,  because  nothing  is  more  obvious, 
than  that  men  are  often  influenced  in  their  practice  by  reasons 
of  which  they  are  ashamed  both  before  and  after  action  ;  and, 
accordingly,  are  at  pains  to  pretend  plausible  reasons  to  cover 
those  which  they  can  neither  avow  to  others,  nor  approve  of 
themselves. 

Not  to  be  tedious,  I  think  Ave  may  freely  say,  that  the  pro- 
per excellency  of  man  above  other  animals,  lies  in  his  con- 
science, or  what  he  knows  without  reasoning.  It  may  like- 
wise be  said  that  man  has,  in  common  with  other  animals*  a 
reasoning  faculty,  by  which  he  is  capable  of  recollecting, 
comparing,  and  observing  the  connection,  agreement,  or  dif- 
ference of  the  things  which  he  knows.  His  reasoning  faculty, 
then,  having,  beyond  what  he  knows  in  common  with  other 
animals,  a  peculiar  and  higher  province  of  knowledge  where- 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  147 

in  to  exercise  itself,  acquires  thereby  an  excellency  above  the 
same  faculty  in  them.  The  like  may  be  said  of  human  pas- 
sions and  organs  of  sensation.  The  conscience  of  man,  not 
only  affords  a  peculiar  province  for  the  exercise  of  his  animal 
faculties,  but  is  likewise  the  authentic  director  and  governor 
of  them  all.  Thus  the  conscience  of  man  spreads  a  dignity 
and  excellency  over  all  the  powers  of  mind  and  body  which 
he  has  in  common  with  other  animals. 

To  illustrate  what  has  been  said,  it  may  be  observed,  that 
some  domestic  animals  bear  much  the  like  respect  toward 
man,  as  man  does  toward  his  Creator.  They  are  happy  in 
being  caressed  by  man,  and  grieved  at  the  tokens  of  his  dis- 
pleasure ;  and  discover  a  consciousness  of  what  will  please 
and  displease  him.  In  this  respect  some  are  said  to  be  un- 
ruly and  vicious,  and  others  tractable  and  obsequious.  Thus 
their  conduct  appears  to  be  influenced  by  reasons,  though  of 
a  lower  order  than  those  which  serve  to  direct  the  conduct  of 
man.  The  spirit  of  a  beast  goeth  downward,  being  conver- 
sant only  about  terrestrial  objects  ;  whereas,  the  spirit  of  man 
goeth  upward,  corresponding  with  his  Maker  by  the  dictates 
of  his  conscience.  But,  besides  the  indelible  dictates  of  con- 
science, the  mind  of  man  has  somehow  been  furnished 
with  other  notions  on  which  he  reasons ;  and  so  much  the 
more  fondly,  as  he  finds  them  necessary  to  his  present  quiet : 
notions  of  a  more  dubious  and  disputable  nature  than  these 
dictates,  and  serving  to  abate  their  force,  which,  therefore, 
may  be  called  presumptuous. 

Philosophy,  which  proposes  to  teach  us  from  nature  such 
knowledge  of  the  Deity  and  of  ourselves  as  may  lead  us  to 
happiness,  accounts  every  sentiment,  or  conclusion  draA\Ti 
from  our  sentiments,  that  serves  to  make  us  miserable,  to  be 
foolish  and  absurd  ;  and  every  sentiment  or  conclusion  which 
it  finds  necessary  to  our  happiness,  to  be  just  and  true. 

That  God  is  not  perfectly  and  invariably  just ;  that  he  may 
suffer  sins,  at  least  some  of  them,  to  pass  unpunished ;  that 
man  has  found  some  liberty  or  power  independent  of  the  Deity; 
and  several  other  notions  of  the  like  nature  are  fondly  adopted 
by  many  as  first  principles  in  all  their  reasonings;  and  they 
go  about  to  prove  them,  by  pointing  out  the  absurd  or  unhappy 
consequences  that  would  follow  on  denying  them.  Yet  they 
may  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  invariable  and  universal 
dictates  of  conscience,  by  their  being  somewhat  doubtful  and 
disputable,  and  assuming  occasionally  various  forms  to  evade 
objections  ;  for  many  able  reasoners  have  opposed  them  with 
as  great  confidence,  and  with  as  strong  arguments,  as  were 


148  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

ever  used  in  support  of  them ;  whereas,  no  man  can  with  a 
good  grace  dispute  against  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  per- 
suade us,  for  instance,  to  approve  ingratitude,  breach  of  trust,  or 
false  swearing. 

How  these  presumptions  came  to  take  place  in  the  mind 
of  man,  to  take  root  and  grow  up  so  readily  there,  as  to  be  mis- 
taken by  many  for  original  plants  in  his  nature,  cannot  be  ac- 
counted for  any  other  way  so  well  as  by  the  Scripture.  If,  in 
allusion  to  the  parable,  it  should  be  asked,  seeing  good  seed  was 
sown  in  this  field,  from  whence  then  hath  it  tares  ?  the  answer 
I  think  must  be.  An  enemy  hath  done  this. 

However,  it  is  manifest,  that  men  generally  delight  to  ex- 
ercise their  reasoning  faculty  in  support  of  these  presumptions, 
because  the  simple  dictates  of  conscience  afford  them  no  agree- 
able fund  for  reasoning.  Yet  these  dictates  are  the  only  origi- 
nal standard  measures  or  reasons  for  the  conduct  of  men. 
The  fair  use  of  these,  or  the  just  application  of  them  to  particu- 
lar cases  in  word  or  action,  is  right  reasoning,  or  acting  a  rea- 
sonable part.  And  he  who  goes  about  to  shorten  or  length 
these  measures,  to  use  them  deceitfully,  or  substitute  others 
in  their  places,  is  guilty  of  unfair  measuring,  or  reasoning 
wrong  ;  so  acts  an  unreasonable  part. 

The  just  reasons  for  our  conduct  are  impressed  on  our 
hearts  by  him  who  made  us,  and  not  invented  by  men,  and  to 
use  them  aright,  is  the  proper  exercise  of  our  reasoning 
faculty,  yea,  of  all  our  powers  both  of  mind  and  body.  Yet 
that  which  men  generally  glory  in,  as  their  distinguishing 
excellency  above  other  animals,  is  that  exercise  of  their  reason- 
ing faculty  which  proceeds  upon  the  presumptions  of  pride, 
and  is  employed  in  supporting  them,  and  drawing  soothing 
inferences  from  them.     And  thus  men  glory  in  their  shame. 

When  the  truth  of  the  gospel  takes  place  in  the  heart  of  a 
man,  it  docs  by  no  means  set  aside  the  use  of  his  reasoning 
faculty,  but  rather,  by  enlarging  the  bounds  of  his  knowledge, 
provides  it  with  a  new  province,  wherein  it  may  exercise 
itself  with  greater  certainty  and  delight.  It  affirms  in  the 
strongest  manner  all  the  notices  of  God,  all  the  reasons  of 
duty  naturally  imprinted  in  his  conscience  ;  and  adds  to  them 
what  was  entirely  wanting  before,  namely,  a  Divine  reason 
of  hope.  And  thus  it  disentangles  him  from  the  necessity 
wherewith  he  found  himself  pressed,  of  debasing  his  own 
nature,  and  defacing  the  Divine  character,  by  reasoning  on 
mere  presumptions,  in  order  to  invent  ^some  ground  of  hope 
for  his  temporary  support.  The  strictest  reasoner,  then,  can 
have  no  objection  against  the  gospel,  unless  he  will  quarrel 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASia.  149 

with  it,  because  it  provides  guilty  man  with  a  source  of  com- 
fort without  the  aid  of  his  reasoning  faculty,  or  where  all  his 
natural  funds  for  reasoning  proved  utterly  deficient. 

Agreeably  to  this,  we  may  understand  how  the  apostles  are 
said  to  address  themselves,  on  the  part  of  God,  to  man.  They 
did  not  make  their  court  to  his  reasoning  faculty  by  philo- 
sophical arguments,  nor  to  his  passions  by  the  insinuating 
arts  of  human  rhetoric  ;  but,  as  man  is  not  distinguished  from 
the  other  animals  by  either  of  these,  they  considered  him  in  his 
proper  point  of  excellency ;  and,  by  manifestation  of  the  truth* 
commended  themselves  to  every  marc  s  conscierice  in  the  sight 
of  God.  They  considered  the  heart  of  man  as  strongly  forti- 
fied, with  presumptuous  reasonings,  against  the  knowledge 
of  God,  and  the  doctrine  of  Christ ;  and  they  did  not  make 
their  address  to  these ;  but  they  compare  their  testimony  to 
u-eapons,  mighty  through  God  for  the  demolishing  (oxvpt^fxaruv) 
of  fortifications,  casting  down  (Xoyto-//of)  reasonings,  and  every 
(vi//a)/ia)  eminence  exalted  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
bringing  into  captivity  [nav  vorijxa)  every  thought  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  Christ. 

As  they  exhibit  no  allurements  to  the  passions  of  man  ;  so 
neither  do  they  enter  into  any  parley  of  capitulation  with 
his  presumptuous  reasonings;  but  storming  and  demolishing 
these  they  press  forward  to  his  conscience,  charge  him  before 
God,  and  converse  with  him  there.  They  clear  up  and  pre- 
sent, in  a  striking  view,  before  him,  the  half-defaced  reasons  of 
duty,  naturally  imprinted  in  his  heart,  and  show  him  at  once, 
how  unsuitable  to  them  his  thoughts  and  actions  have  been. 
They  unshackle  his  conscience  and  make  it  speak  out,  and 
with  the  highest  demonstration,  enforce  every  thing  it  speaks. 


^  These  \vord.s  refer  to  the  ancient  orack  of  Urim  and  Thummim, 
by  which  the  inquirer  was  assured  that  the  answer  came  from  God  when 
he  saw  the  miraculous  ray  of  light  shining  on  the  breast-plate  of  the 
priest  who  pronounced  the  answer.  To  support  this  reference,  it  is  ob- 
servable, tliat  the  common  Greek  translation  of  Urim  and  Thummim  is 
by  two  words  signifying  manifestation  and  truth;  which  indeed  served 
well  to  distinguish  the  Divine  from  all  pretended  oracles,  which  were 
both  ol)scure  and  fallacious.  So  the  evidence  of  the  apostolic  testimony, 
which  is  the  true  oracle  of  Urim  and  Thummim,  is  titted  to  strike  the 
conscience  widi  the  simplicity  and  force  of  a  ray  of  light ;  and  not  like 
the  conclusion  of  a  philosophic  argument,  by  which  we  are  often  silenced, 
merely  to  shun  an  inconsistency,  or  the  shame  of  self-contradiction  ;  and 
which,  at  any  rate,  is  too  weak  to  support  the  mind  when  outward  ca- 
lamities, or  the  near  approach  of  deatli  give  an  edge  to  remorse.  The 
truth  of  the  gospel  is  ratified  in  the  heart  of  man,  by  the  same  hand  which 
planted  there  his  original  notions  of  right  and  wrong,  which  prevent  all 
his  reasonings. 

13* 


150  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IT. 

And  while  they  shut  up  all  his  imagined  sources  of  light  and 
hope,  they  furnish  him  with  a  supernatural  reason  of  hope, 
stamped  with  the  Divine  character. 

Now,  it  must  be  remembered,  that  all  reasons  of  duty  un- 
complied  with,  turn  out  to  be  reasons  of  condemnation,  rea- 
sons of  misery  and  despair.  But,  then,  who  will  choose  to 
exercise  his  reasoning  iaculty  to  make  himself  miserable,  by 
fixing  his  own  condemnation?  All  men  will  rather  incline  to 
judge  every  chain  of  reasoning  that  would  issue  in  their  own 
misery,  by  leading  them  to  despair,  to  be  very  inconclusive, 
and  most  disagreeably  absurd.  Therefore,  men  in  all  ages 
have  found  it  convenient  to  have  recourse  to  another  fund  of 
reasoning  than  the  natural  conscience,  and  to  invent  other  no- 
tions than  the  natural  ones.  This  can  only  be  done  by  vitia- 
ting these  last,  and  accommodating  them  to  the  present  circum- 
stances of  man,  so  as  he  may  support  himself  for  a  while  in 
this  mortal  life  with  some  ease  and  quiet.  And  though  these 
invented  notions  do  not  appear  at  first  view  to  be  so  clearly  and 
indisputably  true,  as  the  natural  ones ;  yet  as  men  fondly  wish 
them  to  be  true,  and  in  many  respects  find  them  necessary, 
they  are  ready  to  show  how  many  sad  and  absurd  conse- 
quences would  follow  on  denying  them.  And  by  being  ac- 
customed thus  to  reason  backward,  from  these  absurd  and 
unhappy  consequences,  many  come  to  something  like  a  settled 
persuasion  that  they  are  true  ;  and  are  fortified  in  this  persua- 
sion, by  observing,  that  the  far  greater  part  of  learned  and 
judicious  men  find  it  necessary  to  reason  in  the  same  way. 

Every  man  who  understands  the  gospel  as  a  reason  of  hope, 
hears  the  voice  of  God  therein.  And  the  voice  of  God  has 
an  evidence  and  authority  attending  it,  altogether  peculiar  to 
itself  Man's  sense  of  duty,  or  sinful  man's  sense  of  misery, 
flows  from  the  voice  of  God  in  his  conscience.  And  there- 
fore no  voice,  argument,  or  reason,  of  inferior  weight,  can 
bring  him  effectual  relief  That  authority  which  formed  the 
conscience  of  man,  can  alone  speak  peace  to  it  when  troubled 
with  the  conviction  of  sin.  Now,  if  Ave  could  for  a  moment 
suppose  the  revealed  reason  of  hope  to  be  divested  of  its  pecu- 
liar evidence  and  authority,  and  to  be  coolly  referred,  on  a  foot- 
ing with  a  philosophic  problem  or  argument,  to  be  examined 
and  discussed  by  the  reasoning  faculty  of  man  :  the  question 
immediately  arises,  what  notion  is  man  already  possessed  of, 
with  which  he  may  compare  this  new  revelation,  so  as  to  judge 
of  its  fitness  or  unfitness  to  be  admitted  ?  If,  indeed,  it  contra- 
dicted, or  served  to  overthrow  any  of  his  natural  notions; 


LET.    IV.]  THERON  AND  A3PASI0.  151 

for  instance,  it  represented  God  as  less  severe  ag-ainst  sin  than 
he  appears  in  the  natural  conscience,  he  would  then  have  just 
cause  to  reject  it  immediately  and  to  conclude  that  it  came  not 
from  the  same  God  who  made  him  and  formed  his  conscience. 
Yet  the  question  still  remains,  what  notions  has  man  with 
which  he  may  compare  the  revealed  reason  of  hope  ?  All  his 
natural  notions  of  duty,  if  he  is  a  sinner,  are  so  many  reasons 
of  despair.  They  all  join  in  forbidding-  him  to  entertain  any 
hope  of  acceptance  with  God.  On  the  other  hand,  the  gospel 
pays  no  regard  to  his  invented  notions,  from  which  he  labours 
to  extract  hope.  It  discards  them  as  spurious  ;  it  repels  them 
as  foolish  and  groundless  imaginations. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  man  has  no  natural  notions  with 
which  he  may  compare  the  revealed  reason  of  hope ;  yea, 
none  but  reasons  of  despair,  imprinted  in  his  heart  by  the 
hand  of  the  Almighty.  Therefore,  a  solid  reason  of  hope 
cannot  be  conveyed  into  the  heart  of  man  from  an  inferior 
hand.  It  must  affect  his  conscience  with  that  peculiar  evi- 
dence and  authority  which  attends  the  voiceof  the  Almighty. 
And  this  is,  indeed,  the  case  with  the  gospel.  It  affirms  all 
his  reasons  of  duty ;  it  enforces  all  his  reasons  of  despair  ; 
and,  removing  all  impediments  and  extenuations,  shows  them 
in  their  greatest  weight ;  and  yet  at  the  same  time  provides 
a  divine  reason  of  hope,  that  fairly  outweighs  them.  Yet 
the  invented  notions,  or  spurious  reasons  of  hope,  are  found 
so  necessary  to  support  our  corrupted  sense  of  dignity,  and  to 
encourage  our  propensity  toward  the  forfeited  earthly  happi- 
ness, that  it  cannot  be  expected  that  any  man  will  3^icld  them 
up,  or  be  willing  to  see  them  in  their  proper  light,  till  his 
thoughts  be  overruled  by  the  peculiar  evidence  and  authority 
attending  ihe  divine  reason  of  hope. 

The  conveyance  of  the  reason  of  hope  to  men,  may  re- 
ceive some  illustration,  by  being  compared  with  the  convey- 
ance of  such  reasons  of  duty  as  God  hath  occasionally  su- 
peradded to  those  original  ones  which  are  common  to  all 
men.  I  shall  only  take  notice  of  two  instances,  viz.  the  com- 
mand given  to  the  parents  of  mankind,  concerning  the  tree  of 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  the  command  to  Abraham  to 
sacrifice  his  son.  The  former  carried  in  it  a  restraint  of  man's 
liberty,  in  using  what  he  had  a  natural  appetite  for.  His 
natural  notions  could  never  lead  him  to  make  any  difference 
among  trees  appearing  to  him  equally  good;  and  the  pro- 
hibited tree  appeared  every  way  as  fit  for  his  use  as  any  other. 
His  reason  for  abstaining,  then,  behooved  to  arise  wholly  from 


152  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

the  authority  attending  the  giving  of  the  command,  or  the 
evidence  he  hod  of  its  coming  from  the  author  of  his  life, 
and  who  had  power  to  take  it  away  if  he  transgressed.  When 
once  this  impression  was  made  on  his  heart,  or  this  new  dic- 
tate took  place  in  his  conscience,  he  behooved,  even  respecting 
his  own  happiness,  to  judge  it  more  reasonable  to  comply 
with  a  limitation  of  his  freedom,  than  to  forfeit  his  life  and 
happiness  altogether  by  transgression.  In  like  manner,  as 
to  the  case  of  Abraham,  we  may  be  very  sure  his  natural  no- 
tions could  never  lead  him  to  put  to  death  his  own  beloved 
son,  in  the  prospect  of  whose  issue  all  his  hopes  of  happiness 
centred.  Yea,  if  he  had  not  had  a  higher  idea  of  God  than 
most  reasoners  have,  he  behooved  to  have  rejected  the  com- 
mand at  first  hearing.  But  he  knew,  that  the  command 
came  from  that  same  God  who  had  given  him  Isaac,  after 
he  and  Sarah  his  wife,  were  incapable,  according  to  nature, 
of  having  children,  and  who  was  able  to  restore  him  to  life 
again  after  he  should  be  slain,  and  so  make  good  the  pro- 
mise he  had  formerly  made  concerning  him.  And  thus  his 
obedience  was,  in  every  respect,  highly  reasonable,  and  issued 
in  a  notable  confirmation  of  his  hope.  Will  the  word  of 
a  great  and  liberal  prince,  prove  a  powerful  reason  with  a  man 
of  spirit  to  animate  him  to  the  most  hazardous  enterprises, 
and  disentangle  him  at  once  from  many  little  schemes  and 
projects  wherein  he  formerly  found  it  both  reasonable  and 
necessary  to  interest  himself?  How  much  more  must  the 
word  of  the  Most  High  prove  a  prevailing  reason  with  one 
who  knows  he  hears  his  voice  ?  And  who  can  deny,  that  he 
who  formed  the  conscience  of  man,  may  so  speak  as  to  make 
the  hearer  fully  sensible  who  is  the  speaker? 

In  this  view  only,  we  see  reason  in  the  conduct  of  the  apos- 
tles, which  otherwise  behooved  to  appear,  in  many  respects 
unaccountable.  Thus,  their  doctrine  is  fitly  called  {XoyiKnv  ya\a) 
the  only  rational  nourishment  for  the  mind  of  man,  and  the 
tenor  of  life  which  they  enjoined,  (\oyiKr,  Urpeia)  a  reasonable 
service.  If  any  one  inclines  rather  to  render  the  Greek  epi- 
thet, in  the  two  places  referred  to,  by  the  English  one,  scrip- 
itiral  or  evangelical,  I  am  far  from  being  disposed  to  contend 
with  him;  for  scriplural  and  rational  are  words  of  the  same 
import  in  the  ears  of  a  Christian,  or  rather,  the  former  ascer- 
tains and  enlarges  the  import  of  the  latter.  The  apostles 
found  all  who  employed  their  reasoning  faculty  against  their 
gospel,  to  be  no  less  [aronoi)  unreasonable  than  wicked.  The 
Scriptures  open  a  new  fund  of  reasoning  to  Christians  ;  and 
the  apostles  serve  as  an  authentic  pattern  for  the  fair  use  of 


LET.   IV.]  THEUON  AND    ASPASIO.  153 

it,  and  as  a  check  upon  all  who  would  handle  the   word  of 
God  deceitfully. 

The  utmost  length  our  natural  notions  can  carry  us,  with 
regard  to  the  supernatural  agency  of  the  Deity,  when  inti- 
mated to  us  with  evidence  worthy  of  our  serious  attention,  is 
to  judge,  that  what  is  impossible  with  men,  or  as  to  which 
men  cannot  conceive  how  it  is  possible,  is  yet  possible  with 
God.  Accordingly,  the  gospel  introduces  itself  to  the  con- 
sciences of  men  with  this  question.  Why  should  it  be  thought 
a  thing  incredible  with  you,  that  God  should  raise  the  dead? 
We  have  no  natural  notions  helping  us  to  conceive  how  God 
can  raise  one  who  has  suffered  death  for  sin,  to  an  endless  life 
of  pleasure,  absolutely  free  from  all  pain.  Neither  have  we 
any  notions  helping  us  to  conceive  how  God  can  justify  an 
unjust  person,  without  his  doing  anything  to  make  himself 
just ;  or  how  he  can  impart  righteousness  to  such  a  one,  so 
as  he  may  be  sustained  as  a  righteous  person  in  all  respects, 
in  his  presence,  and  accordingly  entitled  to  eternal  happiness. 
Yet  if  it  appear  by  undeniable  evidence,  that  God  hath  raised 
one  from  death  to  eternal  happiness,  and  the  justification  of 
the  unjust  be  declared  as  the  genuine  import  of  this  fact,  and 
the  same  power  that  was  manifest  in  raising  the  dead,  appear 
attending  this  declaration;  then,  upon  my  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  the  resurrection,  I  may  conceive  how  God  can  also 
justify  the  ungodly ;  especially  if  I  find  it  impossible  to  ac- 
count for  what  has  actually  happened  any  other  w^ay. 

If  it  appear,  by  the  circumstances,  that  he  who  died  and 
rose,  was  not  only  a  righteous,  but  also  a  divine  person  ;  if  it 
appear  impossible  that  such  a  person  should  lead  a  life  of  pain- 
ful service,  and  at  last  become  exceedingly  sorrowful  unto 
death,  unless  to  expatiate  the  sins  of  others,  and  furnish  them 
with  a  righteousness;  and  if  it  also  appear  impossible,  that 
one  suffering  death  for  sin,  should  be  raised  again  to  a  happy 
life,  unless  the  Divine  displeasure  against  sin  had  been  fully 
manifested  in  his  suffering ;  or  that  one  undertaking  to  fulfil 
all  righteousness,  should  be  honoured  with  a  resurrection  if 
he  had  failed  in  his  undertaking ;  if,  at  the  same,  my  con- 
science condemn  me  as  an  unrighteous  person,  and  exclude 
all  hope  of  relief  from  any  natural  source ;  if,  I  say,  my 
thoughts  come  thus  to  be  straitened  on  every  other  side,  I  must 
find  a  very  sensible  relief  to  my  mind,  in  admitting  the  de- 
claration issued  in  the  bosom  of  the  evidence  of  the  resur- 
rection, viz.  that  he  who  died  and  rose  again,  ivas  delivered 
for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  mir  justification. 
He  who  has  been  thus  straitened,  will  find  this  apostolic  de- 


154  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  It, 

claration  to  be  the  only  satisfactory,  the  only  rational  account 
that  can  be  given  of  the  forementioned  circumstances.  He 
will  find  such  an  agreement  betwixt  the  doctrine  and  the  fact, 
as  was  intimated  in  the  question,  "  Whether  it  is  easier  to  say, 
Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ?  or  to  say,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy 
bed,  and  walk." 

Though  I  am  not  fond  of  claiming  any  kindred  to  philo- 
sophers; yet,  I  shall  here  quote  a  passage  from  the  well-known 
Essai/s  on  Morality  and  Natural  Religion ;  and  the  rather, 
as  in  Scotland  they  have  lately  obtained  a  considerable  share 
of  the  public  attention.  In  the  following  passage,  the  words 
reason  and  reasoning  are  obviously  both  used  in  the  same 
sense  wherein  I  have  been  using  the  last  of  them.  "  To 
substitute  feeling  in  place  of  reason  and  demonstration,  may 
seem  to  put  the  evidence  of  the  Deity  upon  too  low  a  footing. 
But  human  reason  is  not  so  mighty  an  affair  as  philosophers 
vainly  pretend.  It  affords  very  little  aid  in  making  original 
discoveries.  The  comparing  of  things  together,  and  direct- 
ing our  inferences  from  feeling  and  experience,  are  its  pro- 
per province.  It  enlarges  our  views  of  final  causes,  and  of 
the  prevalence  of  wisdom  and  goodness.  But  the  applica- 
tion of  the  argument,  from  final  causes,  to  prove  the,existence 
of  a  Deity,  and  the  force  of  our  conclusion,  from  the  beauti- 
ful and  orderly  effects  to  a  designing  cause,  are  not  from  rea- 
son but  from  an  internal  light,  which  shows  things  in  their 
relation  of  cause  and  effect.  These  conclusions  rest  entirely 
upon  sense  and  feeling.  And  it  is  surprising,  that  writers 
should  overlook  what  is  so  natural  and  obvious.  But  the 
pride  of  man's  heart  makes  him  desire  to  extend  his  discove- 
lies  by  dint  of  reasoning:  for  reasoning  is  our  own  work. — 
There  is  merit,  and  acuteness,  and  penetration:  and  we  are 
better  pleased  to  assume  merit  to  ourselves,  than  humbly  to 
acknowledge,  that,  to  the  most  important  discoveries,  we  are 
directly  led  by  the  hand  of  the  Almighty." 

Philosophy  could  not  teach  this  writer  what  the  Scripture 
readily  teaches  the  most  illiterate,  that  is,  to  follow  out  the  dis- 
tinction betwixt  conscience  and  pride,  which  he  has  in  part 
discovered.  Therefore,  he  may  be  said  to  have  pushed  his 
inquiries  either  too  far  or  too  short  a  length;  too  far  to  please 
some  philosophers,  and  too  short  to  please  those  who  learn 
their  religion  simply  from  the  Bible.  Accordingly,  in  his 
reasoning  about  Jiberty  and  necessity,  in  order  to  adjust  cer- 
tain contradictory  sentiments  or  feelings  which  he  observed  in 
human  nature,  he  has  found  himself  obliged  to  make  use  of 


LET.  IV.l  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  155 

some  obnoxious  terms,  which  even  he  himself  adopts  at  first 
with  some  air  of  diffidence,  and  which  have  exposed  him  to 
the  charge  of  heresy  in  the  eyes  of  many,  no  better  friends  to 
the  ancient  gospel,  and  perhaps,  less  attentive  to  the  subject 
whereof  he  treats,  than  himself  -  No  question  relating  to  ac- 
tions, as  worthy  of  praise  or  blame,  reward  or  punishment, 
can  justly  be  carried  higher  than,  Have  we  done  what  we 
ought,  or  what  we  ought  not,  according  to  his  own  will,  incli- 
nation, or  choice?  If  we  go  further,  we  transgress  the  limits 
prescribed  to  man,  and  step  into  the  peculiar  province  of  the 
Deity ;  and,  then,  as  we  reason  without  any  rule  of  reasoning, 
we  can  neither  speak  what  is  true,  nor  indeed  what  is  clearly 
intelligible.  All  those  sentiments  or  feelings  acknowledged 
to  be  deceitful,  are  at  the  same  time  disloyal ;  they  belong  to 
the  presumptions  of  that  pride  which  leads  us  both  to  extenu- 
ate our  blame,  by  throwing  it  partly  on  the  circumstances 
wherein  the  Deity  placed  us,  and  to  glory  in  what  is  praise- 
worthy about  us,  as  if  we  held  it  independently  of  the  Deity. 
But  the  Apostle  James  has  fully  handled  this  plea,  and  to 
Christians  decided  it,  marking  with  strong  and  pertinently 
significant  expressions  of  blame,*  all  those  sentiments  which 
stand  opposed  to  that  meekness  with  which  the  truth  of  the 
gospel  is  admitted  by  them  who  understand  it. 

It  may  prove  no  wide  digression,  to  take  this  occasion  of 
making  some  comparison  betwixt  philosophy,  as  far  as  it  re- 
spects religion,  and  the  popular  doctrine,Jn  order  to  show  that 
the  former  has  in  the  main  no  room  for  glorying  over  the  lat- 
ter. And  I  choose  the  rather  to  take  this  occasion,  as  I  have 
not  seen  any  scheme  of  philosophic  religion  preferable  to  that 
contained  in  those  essays,  or  wherein  human  nature  has  been 
considered  with  greater  attention. 

It  is  the  business  of  philosophy  to  act  the  same  part  toward 
the  natural,  as  the  popular  doctrine  does  toward  the  revealed 
truth.  The  ablest  popular  preacher  is  he  who  can  most  pro- 
foundly, or  mysteriously  accommodate  the  gospel  to  the  reli- 
gious pride  of  the  devotee.  And  he  is  the  ablest  philosopher 
who  and  most  ingenuously  accommodate  the  law  of  nature,  or 
the  operations  of  conscience,  to  the  common  corruption  of 
human  nature  ;  or  who  can  most  commodiously  adjust  the  con- 
tradictions evidently  observable  in  the  nature  of  man  for  pro- 
moting his  quiet  and  self-satisfaction.  In  this  respect  I  have 
not  seen  our  author  excelled  by  any. 

*   PvKapta  Kut  dipiaaeia  KUKia;,  James  i,  21. 


156  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

He  sets  out  from  this  principle,  [p.  39.,]  That  "  the  common 
nature  of  every  class  of  beings  is  felt  by  us  as  perfect;  and, 
therefore,  if  in  any  instance  a  particular  being  swerve  from 
the  common  nature  of  its  kind,  the  action  upon  that  account 
is  accompanied  by  a  sense  of  disorder  and  wrong.  Thus,  as 
we  have  a  sense  of  right  from  every  action  which  is  conform- 
able to  this  common  nature,  the  laws  which  ought  to  govern 
every  animal,  are  to  be  derived  from  no  other  source  than  the 
common  nature  of  the  species." 

In  surveying  the  common  nature  of  mankind,  he  observes 
two  sources  of  notions,  feelings,  or  sentiments ;  those  pro- 
ceeding from  the  one,  very  contradictory  to  those  proceeding 
from  the  other,  yea,  no  less  opposite  than  truth  and  falsehood. 
One  would  have  thought,  that  this  peculiarity  which  he  ob- 
served in  human  nature,  might  have  stopt  him  short  in  his 
course  of  reasoning,  by  way  of  analogy,  from  the  common 
nature  of  any  other  species  of  animals,  or  class  of  beings, 
which  he  perceived  as  perfect,  or  wherein  he  observed  no- 
thing contradictory ;  for  when  we  see  things  contradictory 
blended  together,  the  idea  of  disorder  and  imperfection  readi- 
ly arises  in  our  minds.  One  would  have  thought,  I  say, 
that  this  might  have  led  him,  though  no  credit  were  given  to 
ancient  books,  to  suspect  that  human  nature  had  undergone 
some  change  to  the  worse,  since  the  time  when,  according  to 
his  own  assertion,  the  Deity  beheld  it,  as  well  as  all  his 
other  works,  to  be  very  good.  But  instead  of  suspecting  any 
thing  like  this,  he  goes  about  to  adjust  our  true  and  our  false 
sentiments  in  subserviency  to  each  other,  and  finds  so  grand 
purposes  promoted  by  his  adjustment,  that  he  at  last  works 
himself  up  into  what  he  calls  a  noble  enthusiasm,  in  admira- 
tion of  such  wisdom  and  goodness  appearing  to  him  therein, 
as  he  scruples  not  to  call  divine.  Yet  while  he  is  straitened 
in  answering  objections  against  the  Divine  benevolence, 
drawn  from  the  appearances  of  moral  evil,  he  is  at  pains  to 
reconcile  man  to  the  thought  of  his  being  an  imperfect  crea- 
ture. In  some  parts  of  his  essays  he  seems  likewise  to  allow, 
that  our  deceitful  or  false  sentiments  are  rather  secondary  or 
after  thoughts,  than  primary  ones. 

To  avoid  ambiguity  in  speaking  of  liberty,  we  may  call 
that  sense  or  feeling  of  it  which  stands  opposed  to  the  de- 
pendence which  all  events  have  on  the  first  cause,  the  sense 
of  independency;  and  that  which  is  opposed  to  compulsion 
or  constraint,  the  consciousness  of  inclination  or  spontaneous 
choice.  To  do  this,  we  are  abundantly  warranted,  both  by 
the  sense  and  words  of  our  author.     We  are  likewise  al- 


LET.    IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  157 

lowed  to  say,  that  as  man  knows  not  the  secret  intentions  of 
the  first  cause  till  they  are  made  manifest  by  events,  his 
choice  is  thereby  no  way  hindered  from  being  spontaneous. 
Moreover,  it  is  not  only  allowed,  but  clearly  evinced  by  our 
author,  that  a  law  is  given  to  man  for  regulating  in  many 
respects  his  spontaneous  choice ;  and  this  law  is  acknow- 
ledged to  be  the  voice  of  the  Deity ;  whence  it  follows,  that 
if  man  shall  choose  to  disobey  this  law,  he  must  necessarily  be 
exposed  to  the  displeasure  of  the  Deity,  or  real  misery. 

Keeping,  then,  these  things  as  fixed  points  in  our  eye,  we 
may  freely  say,  that  while  man  retains  a  just  sense  of  his 
dependence  on  the  Deity,  he  can  never  do  what  is  wrong : 
for  he  cannot  deliberately  choose  misery.  But,  as  our  author 
justly  observes,  when  we  come  to  action,  or  to  do  what  is 
wrong,  the  feeling  begins  to  vary.  "  One  fact  is  certain, 
that  in  acting  we  have  a  feeling  of  liberty  and  independency." 
Here  it  must  be  owned  our  author  has  hit  on  the  spring  of 
all  disobedience,  the  true  source  of  all  the  corruption  of  hu- 
man nature,  of  all  the  natural  and  moral  evil  which  prevails 
in  this  world,  and  all  the  miseries  of  the  world  to  come. 
But  philosophy  could  not  teach  him  to  consider  it  in  this 
light ;  it  rather  leads  him  to  see  some  marvellous  beauty 
about  it.  But,  with  the  good  leave  of  philosophers,  methinks 
one  may  venture  to  affirm,  that  the  mind  of  man  is  so  made, 
as  to  approve  truth  and  disapprove  falsehood,  to  see  beauty 
and  perfection  in  the  former,  deformity  and  imperfection  in 
the  latter,  and  not  only  so,  but  that  he  has  a  sense  of  obliga- 
tion on  the  side  of  truth,  teaching  him,  that  he  ought  to  think 
and  act  according  to  it,  and  that  he  does  wrong  when  he 
thinks,  or  acts  otherwise :  yea,  our  author  himself  says  in 
his  forecited  first  principle,  "^that  the  laws  which  ought  to 
i^overn  every  animal,  are  to  be  derived  from  no  other  source 
Than  the  common  nature  of  the  species." 

Now,  if  it  appears  that  there  are  some  feelings,  or  senti- 
ments common  to  man,  disapproving  of  certain  others  also 
common  to  him,  and  readily  entertained  by  him :  if  the  for- 
mer bear  the  stamp  of  true  and  right,  and  the  latter  of  false 
and  wrong:  and  the  former  show  him,  that  he  ought  not  to 
entertain  the  latter,  nor  be  influenced  by  them ;  then  it  is 
manifest,  even  from  the  common  nature  of  man,  that  he  is 
not  as  he  ought  to  be.  No  wonder,  then,  that  our  author  is  so 
greatly  embarrassed  in  persuading  us  to  be  pleased  with  our- 
selves, and  to  think  that  man  is  presently  such  as  he  should 
be  ;  insinuating,  that  to  think  otherwise  would  be  to  reflect 
on  God  for  making  such  a  creature  as  man,  or  as  making 
14 


158  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IT. 

him  what  in  reality,  as  far  as  the  notion  of  wrong  or  blame 
can  take  place,  he  is  conscious  he  makes  himself  to  be  by 
his  own  choice,  in  opposition  to  the  known  will  of  God.  If 
our  author's  apology  for  the  corruption  of  human  nature  has 
any  distinct  meaning,  it  lands  in  the  old  question,  Whj/  doik 
he  yet  find  fault  1  for  loho  hath  resisted  his  will  ?  But  it  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  one  can  always  think  distinctly, 
while  he  is  labouring  to  make  truth  and  falsehood  harmonize 
together  in  the  same  breast. 

If,  then,  the  conduct  of  man  is  to  be  judged  of  according  to 
truth,  the  case  must  stand  thus.  His  conscience  suggests  to 
him  his  duty,  and  his  dependence  on  the  Deity ;  but  so  soon 
as  he  inclines  or  chooses  to  do  wrong,  we  must  say,  that  the 
sense  of  his  dependence  is  weakened  and  set  aside  by  a  de- 
ceitful sense  of  dependency  arising  in  its  stead.  Thus  he 
is  led  to  hope  that  he  may  gratify  his  bad  inclination  with 
impunity.  But  as  soon  as  the  short  lived  gratification  is 
past,  he  finds  himself  disappointed ;  and  remorse,  or  the  sense 
of  merited  punishment,  takes  hold  of  him.  Now,  remorse 
does  not  arise  from  any  deceitful  source,  nor  rest  upon  any 
illusive  foundation  ;  but  it  is  the  punishment  which  the  Deity 
has  made  the  necessary  consequence  of  the  forementioned 
sense  of  independency,  and  every  action  proceeding  from  that 
deceitful  disloyal  sense.  It  is  true,  that  when  man  is  galled 
with  remorse,  or  with  a  sense  of  fear  and  shame  for  having 
spontaneously  done  what  he  ought  not,  he  is  apt  to  have  re- 
course to  some  deceitful  sentiments,  in  order  to  throw  the 
blame  off  from  himself,  as  much  as  he  can  ;  and  this  is  what 
an  Apostle,  with  great  propriety,  and  according  to  the  strict- 
est truth,  calls  the  redundance  or  superfluity  of  wickedness. 
Besides,  according  to  our  author  himself,  to  make  remorse 
to  proceed  upon  any  other  notion  of  liberty,  than  what  is  im- 
plied in  our  having  spontaneously  done  what  we  ought  not, 
would  be  making  it  proceed  on  the  conviction  that  man  is  a 
whimsical,  ridiculous,  and  unaccountable  being,  a  mere  ab- 
surdity in  nature,  whose  existence  could  serve  no  end. 

But  it  is  now  time  to  make  our  proposed  comparison. — 
Our  author,  speaking  of  the  authority  of  conscience,  (p.  63,) 
says,  "  It  proceeds  from  a  direct  feeling,  which  we  have  upon 
presenting  the  object,  without  the  intervention  of  any  sort  of 
reflection.  And  the  authority  lies  in  this  circumstance,  that 
we  feel  and  perceive  the  action  to  be  our  duty,  and  what  we 
are  indispensably  bound  to  perform.  It  is  in  this  manner, 
that  the  moral  sense,  with  regard  to  some  actions,  plainly  bears 
upon  it  the  marks  of  authority   over   all    our   appetites  and 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  159 

affections.  It  is  the  voice  of  God  within  lis,  which  commands 
our  strictest  obedience,  just  as  much  as  when  his  will  is  declared 
by  express  revelation."  Thus  far  our  author  speaks  accord- 
ing to  truth.  But,  in  p.  70,  he  affirms,  that "  the  moral  sense, 
both  in  the  direct  feeling,  and  in  the  act  of  reflection,  plainly 
supposes  and  implies  liberty  of  action."  It  is  scarce  needful 
to  observe,  that  here  he  does  not  mean  that  liberty  which  con- 
sists in  spontaneous  choice:  for  no  body  ever  doubted,  if  all 
actions,  praise  or  blame  worthy,  were  spontaneously  done. — 
He  evidently  means,  that  deceitful  sense  of  liberty,  which  co- 
incides with  the  sense  of  independency.  For  a  few  lines  be- 
fore, in  this  same  page,  he  uses  these  two  words  as  of  like 
signification:  "One  fact  is  certain,  that  in  acting  we  have  a 
feeling  of  liberty  and  independency;"*  or,  in  other  words,  we 
conceive  oursekes  to  be  above  the  rank  of  creatures  or  de- 
pendent beings.  This  conceit  of  ourselves,  though  acknow- 
ledged to  be  deceitful  and  false,  he  makes  to  be  the  hinge  on 
which  the  operations  of  conscience  turn. 

His  scheme,  then,  stands  in  short  thus:  The  authority  of 
conscience  lies  in  our  having  a  direct  feeling  of  our  duty  and 
dependence,  without  the  intervention  of  any  sort  of  reflection; 
yet  conscience,  both  in  the  direct  feeling,  and  in  the  act  of 
reflection,  supposes  and  implies  a  sense  of  our  independency : 
Or,  we  are  taught  our  duty  by  the  voice  of  truth  within  us  ; 
and  the  authority  of  this  truth  proceeds  upon  the  opposite 
falsehood,  t'y  this  extraordinary  machinery,  he  erects  his 
throne  for  virtue,  and  throws  an  effulgence  of  glory  around 
her.  In  like  manner,  the  popular  doctrine  in  some  sort  ad- 
mits the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  but  if  we  examine  the  descrip- 
tion it  gives  us  of  acts  of  faith,  and  its  directions  for  exerting 

*  Here  it  would  seem,  that  independency  is  a  much  fitter  word  to  give 
our  author  a  distinct  meaning  than  liberty :  for  as  to  any  liberty  or  power 
beyond  what  lies  in  doing  whatever  we  please,  our  author  honestly  ac- 
knowledges we  have  no  idea  of  it ;  " which  power,  besides  that  no 

man  was  ever  consciou-sorit,  seems  to  be  an  absurdity  altogether  incon- 
sistent with  a  rational  nature."  But  the  propriety  of  i?idcpendency  is  evi- 
dent, if  we  consider  that  law  is  the  hinge  on  which  all  choice  turns,  as  far 
as  the  notion  of  right  or  wrong  takes  place;  for  without  a  law  there 
wouM  be  no  choice  of  right  or  wrong,  JVow,  if  a  law  be  admitted  as 
coming  from  an  Ahnighty  Lawgiver,  it  is  impossible  to  think  that  any 
inan  will  choose  to  transgress  it  till  once  the  force  of  it  be  set  aside  in 
his  mind  l)y  tJie  deceitful  sense  of  independency. 

But  perliapa  this  is  the  place  where  our  author  intended  to  shift  hand.*?, 
and  make  an  artful  transition  from  one  idea  to  another,  while  he  was 
laying  the  foundation  of  his  deceitful  sense.  And  where  can  deceitful 
artifice  be  more  properly  employed  than  in  laying  down  deceitful  prin- 
ciples ? 


HO  LETTERS  OX  fLET.  IV. 

them,  we  shall  find,  that  both  the  direct  and  the  reflex  acts 
suppose  and  imply  a  deceitful  sense  of  our  own  worth,  or  a 
fund  of  self-dependence.  And  by  this  machinery  a  throne 
is  erected  for  the  popular  holiness. 

Now,  though  the  holiness  chiefly  promoted  by  the  popular 
doctrine,  and  most  applauded  by  the  people,  gets  the  name 
of  hypocrisy  in  the  New  Testament;  yet  we  have  no  reason 
to  despise  it  in  comparison  with  philosophic  virtue,  which  be- 
ing still  more  superficial,  as  taking  less  hold  of  the  heart, 
amounts  only  to  what  Ave  maj^  easily  understand  by  decorum  ; 
a  word  often  used  by  its  votaries  in  describing  it.  By  keep- 
ing this  in  our  eye,  we  shall  have  a  full  view  of  our  authors 
doctrine,  and  perceive  a  propriety  in  many  of  his  reasonings, 
which  would  otherwise  be  lost;  for  it  is  easy  to  see  how  high 
and  deceitful  thoughts  of  ourselves  may,  by  skilful  manage- 
ment, serve  greatly  to  the  promoting  of  decorum.  And  if 
his  reader,  on  hearing  how  advantageously  virtue  is  seated 
on  her  throne,  should  expect  to  see  her  reign  accordingly, 
and  be  curious  to  know  where  her  subjects  are,  he  needs  only 
to  look  into  the  polite  assemblies,  or  genteel  interviews,  which 
abound  among  civilized  nations,  where  he  will  find  the  most 
scrupulous  reference  paid  to  decorum  by  many  who  are  sepa- 
rately engaged  in  such  artful  and  malicious  schemes  of  un- 
dermining and  overreaching  each  other,  as  that  the  relation 
of  them  would  greatly  astonish  savages,  who  show  their 
friendships  and  their  enmities  in  a  less  artificial  manner ; 
consequently  more  confidence  must  take  place  in  the  former, 
and  the  danger  arising  from  the  latter,  be  more  easily  guard- 
ed against. 

It  is  the  business  of  philosophy,  to  remove  the  fear  of  God 
from  religion  as  much  as  possible.  Our  author's  address  this 
way  may  be  seen  in  his  reflections  on  our  dread  of  superna- 
tural powers  in  the  dark,  on  the  famous  Lucretian  maxim 
about  the  origin  of  religion,  on  the  dread  which  savages 
have  of  invisible  adv^erse  powers,  and  on  the  benevolence  of 
the  Deity,  among  whose  perfections  he  does  not  incline  to 
place  justice.  Nothing  can  be  more  natural  to  guilty  men, 
than  to  dread  some  invisible  adverse  power ;  yet  nothing  is 
more  unsuitable  to  philosophy  ;  yea,  we  can  think  of  nothing 
more  unphilosophical  than  the  sacred  maxim  about  the  be- 
ginning of  wisdom.  Accordingly  we  find,  that  philosophers, 
who  diflfer  widely  from  each  other  about  many  other  things, 
generally  agree  in  discarding  that  maxim.  On  this  occasion 
it  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  the  philosophic  moral  sense, 
though  it  agrees  in  many  things  with  the  natural  conscience 


LET.   IV.]  THEUON  AND  ASPASIO.  161 

docs  notwithstanding  differ  considerably  from  it.  The  na- 
tural conscience  approves  of  that  law  which  requires  godli- 
ness and  humanity  in  perfection,  or  without  reserve,  and 
affixes  the  sense  of  blame  to  every  deviation  from  it.  Our 
author's  moral  sense  considers  some  trespasses  as  venial,  or 
some  as  more  venial  than  others;  and  finds  the  highest  beau- 
ty and  delight  in  certain  actions,  ivhich  are  not  attended  with 
the  sense  of  obligation  and  duty,  nor  the  neglect  of  them  fol- 
lowed by  remorse.  Thus  it  opens  a  large  field  for  works 
of  supererogation ;  whereas,  he  who  attends  to  the  dictates  of 
his  conscience,  though  he  should  come  up  to  them  in  his 
practice,  can  never  enjoy  the  philosophic  enthusiasm  of  soar- 
ing above  his  duty.  We  have  then  a  just  and  adequate  notion 
of  the  philosophic  moral  sense,  when  Ave  consider  it  as  the 
prompter  or  prime  counsellor  to  decorum,  and,  in  conjunction 
with  deceit,  the  supporter  of  its  throne.  Its  ultimate  object 
is  the  temporal  prosperity  of  society,  without  regard  to  the 
real  interest  of  mankind,  as  depending  on  the  pleasure  of  the 
Deity,  and  conformity  to  his  will. 

Had  our  author  wrote  for  the  populace,  he  had  no  doubt 
said,  mysterious  instead  of  deceitful  feelings ;  but  as  he 
wrote  for  the  entertainment  of  men  of  enlarged  sentiments, 
who  will  not  readily  take  umbrage  at  any  ingenious  attempt 
to  persuade  them,  that  the  operations  of  conscience,  especially 
the  most  inconvenient  of  them,  remorse,  proceed  upon  an 
illusive  foundation ;  he  chose  to  express  himself  with  free- 
dom. In  order  to  persuade  with  success,  it  was  necessary  to 
remove  our  disapprobation  of  deceit,  and  make  it  wear  a  come- 
ly aspect,  as  being  natural  to  us:  and  who  can  refuse  to  own, 
that  what  is  natural  is  also  beautiful  1  Moreover,  the  sense 
of  independency,  however  candidly  owned  to  be  deceitful, 
besides  its  being  natural,  is  presented  to  us  with  other  very- 
ample  recommendations.  It  is  a  noble  and  elevating  senti- 
ment ;  it  makes  man  appear  to  be  in  all  respects  his  own 
master  ;  it  gives  him  the  air  of  Deity  on  earth  ;  and  is  at  the 
same  time  highly  conducive  to  promote  virtue  or  decorum  ; 
yea,  to  animate  generous  minds  to  great  and  heroic  actions, 
far  beyond  the  sphere  of  obligation  and  duty,  ready  withal 
to  recompense  them  with  the  most  sublime  self-satisfaction. 

Thus  far  we  have  seen,  not  only  how  meet  and  proper,  but 
also  how  advantageous  it  is,  to  support  the  credit  of  the  sense 
of  independency,  and  to  act  upon  it  as  to  all  the  purposes  of 
life,  as  if  it  were  just  and  true.  Now,  considering  the  charm- 
ing advantages  attending  the  maintainmg  its  credit,  it  may 
seem  at  first  view,  a  great  excess  of  candour  and  generosity 
14* 


162  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

in  a  philosopher,  to  draw  aside  the  curtain,  and  fairly  show 
us,  that  this  darling  sense  is  nothing  else  but  a  mere  illusion  ; 
till  we  reflect,  that  he  is  abundantly  recompensed  for  this  con- 
cession when  looking  forward  into  futurity,  where  this  illusion 
can  be  no  more  of  any  service  to  him,  he  perceives  the  whole 
dark  side  of  things  introduced  by  remorse,  evanish  together 
with  it  in  the  light  of  philosophic  truth.  And  surely,  it  must 
give  no  small  comfort  to  many  great  men  when  leaving  the 
stage  of  the  world,  to  consider  the  various  blemishes  of  their 
lives  as  many  parts  in  a  dramatic  performance,  from  which 
it  would  be  as  unreasonable  to  infer  their  misery  in  a 
future  state,  as  to  punish  a  common  player  for  having  acted 
the  part  of  an  impostor  or  a  traitor,  after  he  has,  along  with 
his  mask,  thrown  ofl^'his  obnoxious  character. 

Now,  our  author  sufficiently  intimates,  that  the  curtain 
draAvn  over  the  moral  world,  must  not  be  meddled  with  on 
ordinary  occasions,  nor  turned  aside,  except  to  serve  the  most 
valuable  purposes,  and  chiefly  Avhen  man  has  occasion  to 
think  of  the  Deity,  in  order  to  give  him  some  agreeable  fore- 
bodings about  a  future  state.  Behind  this  curtain  is  the  most 
sacred  recess  of  philosophic  mysteries,  therefore,  it  does  not 
become  unhallowed  persons  on  common  occasions  to  ap- 
proach it,  far  less  to  turn  it  aside,  in  order  to  look  in.  Phi- 
losophers themselves,  themystagogues  in  the  temple  of  deco- 
rum, must  approach  it  with  reverence,  and  after  all  are  allow- 
ed only  to  turn  it  aside  a  very  little.  As  our  author's  words 
on  this  head  are  remarkable,  I  shall  here  quote  a  few  of  them, 
p.  218.  "A  veil  is  thrown  over  nature,  where  it  is  not  use- 
ful for  him  [manl  to  behold  it ;  and  yet,  sometimes,  by  turn- 
ing aside  that  veil  a  very  little,  he  is  admitted  to  a  fuller 
view,  that  his  admiration  of  nature,  and  the  God  of  nature, 
may  be  increased  ;  that  his  curiosity  and  love  of  truth  may 
be  fed ;  and,  perhaps,  that  some  augurium,  some  intimation 
may  be  given  of  his  being  designed  for  a  future  more  exalted 
period  of  being,  when  attaining  the  full  maturity  of  his  na- 
ture, he  shall  no  longer  stand  in  need  of  artificial  impressions, 
but  shall  feel  and  act  according  to  the  strictest  truth  of 
things."  No  wonder  that  the  author's  enthusiasm  was  kin- 
dled, when  he  was  thus  privileged. 

That  the  charming  illusion,  which,  while  it  appears  and  re- 
mains in  force,  brings  us  many  advantages,  and  when  it  evan- 
ishes, abolishes  all  fear  of  future  evils,  might  not  be  exposed 
to  the  objection  of  singularity,  as  having  nothing  in  nature 
analogous  to  it ;  our  author  maintains,  that  our  senses  deceive 
us  about  the  sensible  or  secondary  qualities  of  bodies,  making 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  1G3 

US  believe  that  they  exist  without  us,  till  philosophy  undeceive 
us,  by  showing  that  they  exist  only  within  us.  Flere  it  must 
be  observed,  that  there  is  a  kind  of  jargon*  on  this  head, 
gravely  upheld  among  philosophers,  which  will  always  appear 
as  absurd  and  ridiculous!  to  men  of  plain  common  sense,  as 


*  For  ini^tance,  we  cannot,  according  to  the  truth  of  things,  .say,  that 
honey  is  sweet,  ice  cold,  or  chalk  white  :  for  why,  honey  hath  no  moutli 
for  tasting,  ice  no  fingers  for  feeling,  nor  chalk  eyes  for  seeing.  Philo- 
sophy, the  faithful  guardian  of  truth,  will  have  us  rather  to  say,  that  these 
bodies  are  composed  of  particles  of  such  a  form  and  size,  and  so  arrang- 
ed, as  to  be  fit  for  conveying  to  the  mind,  by  means  of  the  respective 
organs,  the  sensations  of  sweetness,  coldness,  and  whiteness.  Thus  we 
are  a.ssured,  that  when  honey  is  eaten,  the  eater  has  all  the  pleasure, 
and  it  none  at  all  in  being  eaten.  Had  not  philosophers  made  us  this 
important  discovery  we  might  have  remained,  like  our  forefathers,  gro.ssly 

deceived  about  every  object  around  us. This  may  be  considered 

as  a  true  and  genuine  specimen  of  that  wisdom  wliich  elevates  the  philo- 
sopher above  the  vulgar,  and  which  in  the  New  Testament  is  fitly  called 
The  icisdom  of  words,  to  di.stinguish  it  from  the  knowledge  of  things. 

t  No  less  ridiculous  is  their  reasoning  about  liberty.  For  though  no 
man  could  ever  conceive  a  notion  of  liberty  higher  than  what  lies  in  do- 
ing what  we  please ;  yet  the  whole  dispute  turns  upon  such  unintelligible 
liberty.  They  might  as  well  pretend  to  inform  us  what  sort  of  beings 
are  situated  beyond  the  sphere  of  all  imaginable  space,  and  then  lead  us 
into  disputes  about  the  condition  of  those  inhabitants  of  Utopia.  De- 
spising what  is  plain  and  intelligible,  as  being  common  to  them  and  the 
vulgar,  tliey  delight  to  frame  words  to  stand  for  so  many  no-ideas,  and 
then  to  dispute  about  these  no-ideas.  Our  author  acknowledges  it 
absurd  to  tliink  of  any  liberty  beyond  the  power  of  doing  what  we  will ; 
yet  he  says,  we  have  the  idea  of  a  power  over  our  will,  or  a  power  of 
regulating  our  will ;  and  that  this  idea  is  essential  to  the  moral  feeling. 
Now,  if  this  transcendent  regulating  power  can  do  either  right  or  wrong, 
it  must  have  a  will  over  it  again  to  direct  it.  And  thus  we  are  led  to 
talk  of  power  and  will  alternately  over  each  other  without  end  :  to  talk, 
I  say  ;  for  we  are  beyond  the  sphere  of  thinking  altogether. 

But  as  I  am  averse  to  suppose  our  author  used  words  conveying  no 
ideas,  his  deceitful  sense  may,  I  think,  have  an  obvious  meaning  when 
we  understand  it  to  be  the  sense  of  independency.  Thus,  likewise,  we 
understand  how  he  makes  a  man  to  be  an  accountable  creature,  when 
he  tells  us,  th'at  from  this  deceitful  sense,  "  the  idea  of  his  being  an  ac- 
countable creature  arises.  Reward  seems  due  to  merit,  punishment 
to  crimes."  That  is,  he  tlms  becomes  self-accountable;  or  he  has  a 
deceitful  spring  in  his  nature,  which  sets  him  at  variance  with  himself, 
and  gives  him  inward  disquiet  when  he  disturbs  the  order  of  society  : 
but  when  he  has  served  his  time  in  society,  the  deceitful  spring,  being 
now  useless,  is  set  a.side  ;  so  that,  having  fully  accounted  to  himself  for 
all  his  good  and  bad  actions,  by  the  pleasure  he  took  in  the  former,  and 
the  pain  he  felt  for  the  latter,  he  enters  into  the  next  world  upon  a  fair 
new  footing,  as  if  nothing  at  all  had  happened  in  this.  For  if  he  seomod 
to  be  virtuous,  reward  seemed  due  to  his  merit ;  and  if  he  seemed  to 
be  criminal,  punishment  seemed  due  to  his  crimes.  Thus,  in  our  pre- 
sent abode  in  Fairyland,  every  shadow  .seems  to  correspond  with  another. 
That  philosopher,  who  endeavotired  to  show,  that  our  senses  deceive 


164  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

any  part  of  the  popular  doctrine  can  do  to  philosophers.  I  am 
far  from  thinking,  that  our  author  acted  below  the  dignity  of 
a  philosopher  in  adopting  it ;  but  he  appears  sometimes  so 
sensible  of  the  vanity  of  philosophers,  that  1  am  persuaded 
he  would  have  scorned  to  make  use  of  it,  had  it  not  been  to 
serve  the  most  valuable  and  most  momentous  purpose ;  and 
surely,  there  is  not  a  more  important  concern  that  can  affect 
the  mind  of  man,  than  how  he  may  be  relieved  from  re- 
morse. 

I  have  just  now  mentioned  the  chief  circumstance  that 
gives  importance  to  the  dispute  about  liberty  and  necessity, 
or,  indeed,  any  other  dispute,  so  far  as  religion  is  concerned : 
for  we  can  easily  fall  upon  means  of  finding  ourselves  praise- 
worthy upon  any  scheme  of  principles  whatever ;  but  the 
great  difficulty  is,  how  to  preserve  the  sense  of  blame  in  due 
force  to  answer  the  ends  of  society,  and  yet  get  conveniently 
quit  of  it  when  we  look  beyond  society,  or  are  ready  to  step 
out  of  it ;  for  then  men  are  generally  disposed  to  think  there 
is  no  more  occasion  for  it.  Now,  for  address  in  managing  this 
delicate  affair,  our  author  is  perhaps  excelled  by  none.  What 
advantage  he  has  over  any  less  artful  writer  on  this  subject, 
may  be  seen  by  the  following  comparison :  In  the  Scots' 
Magazine,  for  April,  1751,  we  find  a  letter  on  human  liberty, 
subscribed  D.  W.,  which  is,  perhaps,  as  clear  and  as  distinct 
a  paper  as  any  philosopher  ever  wrote  on  the  subject.  This 
writer  maintains  both  liberty  and  necessity  in  the  highest 
sense  wherein  these  words  were  ever  understood  by  any 
man,  and  yet  reconciles  them  in  the  most  simple  manner, 
without  the  least  artifice  or  embarrassment ;  showing  withal, 
that  "  the  common  ideas  of  accountableness  are  not  founded  on 
a  delusive  feeling,  but  on  a  clear  perception  of  that  liberty 
which  we  really  possess."  But,  then,  through  want  of  arti- 
fice, he  has  left  us  destitute  of  any  proper  fuel  for  feeding  the 
sacred  flame  of  devotion,  which  he  would  kindle  at  the  close 
of  his  reasoning.  His  letter  ends  thus:  "But  though  the 
knowledge  of  universal  necessity,  considered  b}-  itself,  cannot 
justly  prompt  a  man  either  to  act  or  suspend  action,  it  cannot 


us  as  to  the  existence  of  matter,  was  but  a  mere   trifier  when   com-^ 
pared  witli  our  author. 

One,  methinks,  would  be  apt  to  conclude,  that  mankind  stand  in, 
great  need  of  some  Divine  revtIation>  from  the  strange  prcpen^itv  of 
wise  men  to  draw  aside  the  curtain  of  ap])earances,  and  from  the  no 
less  strange  discoveries  which  they  make,  after  tiiey  siippo.se  they  have 
drawn  it  aside. 


LET.   IV.]  THEllON   AND    ASPASIO.  165 

be  called  an  useless  discovery,  since  it  naturally  leads  the 
mind  to  the  most  joyful  of  all  truths.  I'hat  all  events,  throuirh 
the  past  and  future  periods  of  immense  duration,  concur  to- 
gether in  forming  a  perfectly  beautiful  and  happy  system, 
such  as  it  becomes  original  and  eternal  goodness  to  contrive 
and  execute  ;  and  that  thus,  ivhaiever  is,  is  best.  How  much 
these  transporting  ideas  tend  to  feed  the  sacred  flame  of  de- 
votion in  the  philosophic  breast,  may  be  seen  in  the  writings 
of  all  those  who  have  thoroughly  imbibed  them,  particularly 
in  the  conclusion  of  the  above  mentioned  Essays  on  the 
P ri/iciples  of  Morality  and  Natural  Religion.^^ 

It  is  easy  to  see,  that  all  the  purposes  and  operations  of  in- 
finite goodness  must  give  joy  and  delight  to  one  who  is  not 
conscious  of  any  evil  disposition  about  himself;  because  he 
knows,  that  though  infinite  goodness  must  eternally  appear 
infinitely  opposite  to  all  evil,  yet  it  can  never  appear  in 
opposition  to  him,  but,  on  the  contrary  for  his  comfort,  yea, 
making  all  the  crimes  and  miseries  of  the  guilty  serve  for  the 
increase  of  his  happiness;  but  if  one  finds  himself  guilty,  and 
consequently  that  infinite  goodness  stands  opposed  to  him,  I 
do  not  see  what  joy  it  can  give  him  to  understand,  that  a  per- 
fectly beautiful  and  happy  system  is  to  be  formed  at  last,  and 
remain  forever  ;  and  that  his  guilt  and  eternal  misery  are  to 
be  subservient  to  the  beauty  and  happiness  thereof  It  would 
seem,  then,  that  this  writer,  when  he  concluded  his  letter, 
imagined  himself  fortified  with  that  brazen  wall,*  which  even 
heathens  thought  a  necessary  security  against  misery. 

A  conscience  clear,  by  no  remorse  dismay'd. 

But  as  it  is  difficuh  for  a  man,  soberly  thinking,  to  find 
himself  thus  fortified,  our  author  has  certainly  acted  a  much 
more  wise  and  philosophical  part,  in  contriving  matters  so  as 
that  the  weight  of  remorse  should  rest  upon  a  convenient 
slipboard,  which  in  a  case  of  urgent  necessity  may  be  with- 
drawn, and  of  course  all  that  was  erected  upon  it  at  once  over- 
turned. Though  the  letter-writer  clearly  shows,  that  remorse 
proceeds  upon  a  just  and  true  sense  of  liberty;  yet  he  seems 
not  to  have  thought  so  much  on  the  weight  of  remorse,  and 
how  the  mind  is  affected  under  it,  as  our  author.  Near 
the  middle  of  his  letter  he  gives  indeed  a  general  description 
of  it,  which  he  sums  up  in  the  word  self-arersion :  but  this 
expression  is  not  easy  to  be  understood.     It  is  difficult  to  think 


•mums  ahcneus  esto. 


Nil  conscirc  sibi,  iiuUa  palksccre  culpa. 


1G6  LKTTEUS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

how  a  man  can  hate  himself.  It  is  more  natural  to  think  that 
he  will  be  averse  to  every  thing-  that  gives  him  pain  and 
makes  him  unhappy.  As  remorse  seizes  a  man  against  his 
will,  and  after  he  has  done  his  best  to  secure  himself  against 
it  by  reasonings,  we  must  consider  it  as  the  punishment  which 
the  Deity  has  annexed  to  guilt,  or  as  the  previous  intimation 
of  deserved  punishment,  carrying  the  reason  along  with  it ;  so 
it  may  be  said  to  consist  in  a  sense  of  shame  at  being  found 
blame-worthy,  or  for  having  done  what  we  ought  not,*  and 


*  Our  author  maintains,  that  remorse  proceeds  on  the  reflection  that 
we  might  have  acted  a  better  part ;  and  who  doubts  but  we  might,  if  ze^ 
had  pleased  ?  But  this  is  the  real  point  on  which  remorse  proceeds, 
that  we  pleased  or  willed  to  act  as  we  did.  For  what  occasion  has  one 
for  remorse  if  the  action  did  not  flow  from  his  will  ?  Remorse,  then, 
proceeds  upon  a  solid  truth ;  yea,  upon  what  we  find  to  be  but  too  true 
to  our  shame  :  the  guilty  pert^^on  finds  that  it  was  his  leading  prhiciplc, 
his  supreme  f  iculty,  his  own  self  that  did  the  wrong.  But,  then,  the  con- 
viction of  his  guilt  no  sooner  seizes  him,  than  he  sets  hiuiself  in  the 
way  of  opposition  and  reluctimce  to  what  gives  him  pain.  And  this 
reluctance  has  various  success  during  life,  according  to  the  various  cir- 
cumstances wherein  the  guilty  person  is  placed ;  sometimes  it  finds  ex- 
pedients for  his  temporary  quiet,  and  sometimes  it  serves  only  to  heighten 
his  agony  and  hasten  hi.s  death. 

It  was  infallibly  foretold,  that  Judas  should  betray  his  master ;  yet,  very 
consistently  witli  this,  it  may  be  said,  that  Judas  might  have  acted  a 
better  part  if  he  had  pleased.  Paul,  in  his  voyage  to  Rome,  was  as- 
sured that  no  lives  would  be  lost ;  yet,  he  was  likewise  assured,  that  if 
the  sailors  left  the  .'<hip,  the  passengers  would  be  lost.  Though  I  were 
infallibly  assured,  that  a  certain  chain  of  a  thousand  links  was  to  support 
a  certain  weight  for  twenty  years,  I  may,  consistently  with  this  assurance, 
say,  that  if  any  one  of  the  links  break  the  first  or  second  year,  the  whole 
weight  will  then  fall  to  the  ground. 

The  embarrassment  in  the  dispute  about  liberty,  wholly  arises  from 
the  difficulty  which  men  find  in  conceiving  how  there  can  be  a  Deity  .so 
great  fis  to  be  able  to  make  a  man;  and  the  only  reason  for  this  difliculty 
is,  that  no  artist  has  yet  appeared  among  men  able  to  make  a  clock 
capable  of  going  right  or  wrong  of  its  own  will  and  choice,  and  accord- 
ingly, con.«!cious  of  pleasure  or  pain,  and  yet,  so  as  no  vibration  of  its 
will,  or  consequence  of  such  vibration,  should  take  place  othei'wise  than 
as  the  artist  originally  intended  when  he  framed  it. 

Some,  to  make  room  for  a  Deity,  degrade  man  to  the  rank  of  beasts ; 
others,  seeking  to  raise  the  dignity  of  man,  can  find  no  place  for  a 
Deity;  or  at  lea.st  they  find  a  Deity  without  a  character,  neither  loving 
righteou.sness,  nor  hating  iniquity. 

The  contradictions  observed,  by  all  writers  in  human  nature,  cannot 
be  accounted  for,  without  admitting  the  Scripture  testimony,  that  man 
was  corrupted  by  the  presumptuous  thought  of  being  as  God.  This 
presumptuous  thought  still  bewilders  men  in  their  reasonings. 

Yet,  as  man  was  made  to  be  the  image  of  God,  his  nature  is  still  sub- 
ser^-ient  to  that  great  purpose.  For  whether  man  be  righteous  or 
wicked,  his  nature  still  serves,  either  in  the  way  of  concord  or  contrast, 
for  an  index  to  the  character  of  his  maker. 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  167 

fear  of  the  just  consequence,  resembling  an  indictment  with 
the  sentence  of  condemnation  annexed.  But  no  sooner  does 
this  painful  sense  affect  the  mind  of  man,  than  his  aversion  to 
it  rises,  and  he  struggles  hard  to  throw  it  off.  He  cannot  be 
eased  of  his  fear  till  he  get  his  sense  of  shame  abated  :  so  he 
labours  to  extenuate  his  guilt,  and  to  cover  it  even  from  his 
own  sight.  He  presumes  that  he  had,  at  bottom,  some  better 
disposition  of  heart  than  what  appeared  in  the  guilty  action ; 
that  had  he  been  placed  in  better  circumstances,  or  even  had 
he  known  what  he  now  knows,  he  would  have  acted  a  better 
part.  And  though  repeated  experience  clearly  evinces  the 
vanity  of  all  such  presumptions,  yet  he  still  resumes  them  as 
oft  as  his  disquiet  recurs.  So  much  against  nature  is  it  for 
a  man  to  admit  the  sense  of  blame,  or  consent  to  his  own  con- 
demnation. And  till  a  man  can  find  a  covering  for  his  shame, 
or  a  sense  of  worth  to  support  him,  elsewhere  than  in  the  dis- 
position of  his  own  heart,  he  can  never  freely  admit  the  sense 
of  blame,  and  approve  the  justice  of  the  Divine  law,  nor  see 
the  Divine  goodness  unexceptionable  in  its  greatest  opposition 
to  evil. 

When  such  a  sense  of  worth  takes  place,  it  gives  birth  to  a 
new  principle  or  disposition  in  the  mind  toward  it,  and  produces, 
as  it  were,  a  change  or  transition  of  one's  self  to  the  new  and 
supernatural  ground  of  confidence,  so  that  the  'person  is  capa- 
pable  of  being  averse  to  what  he  finds  himself  naturally,  or 
to  his  own  character  and  natural  disposition  ;  because  he  per- 
ceives a  new  resource  of  enjoyment  opened  to  him ;  not  by 
his  own  agency  or  concurrence  in  any  respect,  but  merely 
and  wholly  by  Divine  grace.  In  this  view  we  understand 
what  the  gospel  speaks  of  one's  hating  and  losing  his  life, 
and  yet  finding  it.  Thus,  I  say,  and  only  thus,  is  a  person 
capalDle  of  being  averse  to  his  own  character  and  natural  dis- 
position, or,  to  use  the  expression  of  the  letter-writer,  of  self- 
aversion*  For  we  must  still  say,  that  it  is  impossible  for  a 
person  to  act  but  with  some  view  to  his  own  happiness^  or  in 
the  way  of  reluctance  to  what  he  counts  the  greatest  misery. 


*  But,  perhaps,  hy  srlf-accrsion  the  letter  writer  intended  to  denote 
one  of  tlie  operations  of  a  mind  that  i.s  only  self-accountable,  and  in  fur- 
nished with  this  inward  spring  or  check,  only  <br  the  sake  of  the  temporal 
henetit  [of  .society.  In  that  case,  it  does  not  signify  nnich  whether  re- 
morse he  made  to  rest  on  a  true  or  a  false  foundation,  wliile  we  consider 
it  as  of  no  use  or  consequence  beyond  this  life;  or  while  we  consider  it 
only  as  an  incitement  to  make  men  dance  gracefully  for  three  or  four 
score  years,  around  the  May-pole  of  decorum,  without  ailecting  their 
condition  with  regard  to  their  maker. 


168  LETTERS  ON  [LET.    IV. 

Paschal,  whom  I  mention  as  a  person  respected  by  philoso- 
phers for  his  uncommon  abilities,  could  observe  the  original 
dignity  of  human  nature,  like  that  of  a  decayed  palace,  from 
the  greatness  of  its  ruins.  But  our  author  is  charmed  with 
the  beauty  and  order  of  the  ruins  themselves.  By  reading 
Voltaire's  remarks  on  Paschal's  thoughts,  one  may  see  how 
differently  men  think,  or  affect  to  think  on  this  subject ;  and 
may  likewise  have  a  good  opportunity  of  trying  by  his  own 
thoughts,  in  the  contrast  of  sentiments,  which  side  bears  the 
greatest  weight  or  appearance  of  truth.  Paschal  closes  some 
reflections  on  the  blindness  and  misery  of  man  with  these 
w^ords  ;  "  Hence  I  wonder  that  mankind  are  not  seized  with 
despair  every  time  they  reflect  on  the  wretchedness  of  their 
condition."  Voltaire  rejoins,  "  With  regard  to  myself,  when 
1  take  a  view  of  London  or  Paris,  I  see  no  cause  to  plunge 
into  the  despair  mentioned  by  Paschal.  I  see  a  city  w^hich 
does  not  resemble,  in  any  manner,  a  desert  island,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  a  populous,  rich,  and  well-governed  place,  where 
mankind  are  as  happy  as  it  is  consistent  with  nature  to  be." 

With  the  same  charming  prospect  is  the  mind  of  our  author 
relieved  from  all  difficulties  arising  from  the  dark  side  of 
things.  He  forms  to  himself  a  high  notion  of  the  difference 
betwixt  the  appearance  of  human  nature  in  its  savage,  which 
he  calls  its  original  state,  and  its  appearance  when  refined 
by  education  in  civilized  nations.  From  the  excellency 
of  the  latter,  the  dignity  and  glory  of  human  nature  arises  to 
his  view.  There  he  beholds  the  conceptions  of  the  human 
mind  admiroMy  ordered  to  exalt  virtue  to  the  highest  pitch. 
There  he  beholds  virtue  enthroned,  and  a  peculiar  glory 
thrown  around  her.  There  the  moral  sense  acquires  its  full 
authority,  is  openly  recognized,  and  cheerfully  submitted  to. 
There  "  the  social  affections  gain  the  ascendant,  and  the  mo- 
rality of  actions  gets  firm  possession  of  the  mind.  In  this 
improved  state,  the  beauty  of  the  creation  makes  a  strong  im- 
pression ;  and  we  can  never  cease  admiring  the  excellency  of 
that  cause,  who  is  the  author  of  so  many  beautiful  effects.  And 
thus  to  society  we  owe  all  the  blessings  of  life,  and  particularly 
the  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  that  most  inestimable  branch  of 
human  knowledge,"  p.  322.  And  where  can  we  have  a 
more  full  view  of  all  this  beautiful  scene  than  in  London 
and  Paris,  the  capitals  of  the  two  most  civilized  nations  ?  and 
in  these  where  to  better  advantage,  than  among  people  of  refin- 
ed taste  and  manners,  or  those  who  compose  the  politest  assem- 
bhes  ? 

Now,  if  any  credit  may  be  given  to  the  history  of  the  great- 


LET.    IV.]  TIIEKOX   AND  ASPASIO.  169 

est  cities,  when  at  the  height  of  their  refinement  in  the  arts  of 
life,  from  Nineveh  down  to  those  of  our  own  times,  we  shall 
find  that  all  manner  of  wickedness  has  then  reigned  most  ex- 
tensively in  them,  and  tliat  even  under  the  wing  of  decorum. 
In  France,  adultery,  though  known,  if  practised  with  sufficient 
caution  or  decency,  is  considered  among  polite  people  as  no 
blemish  in  the  character  of  a  gentleman:  and  in  Britain  we 
daily  think  more  lightly  of  it,  and  devise  more  genteel  terms 
for  it  according  as  our  taste  refines,  the  most  impious  perjury, 
in  solemnly  declaring  or  subscribing  adherence  to  religious 
creeds,  privately  laughed  at,  if  done  to  procure  interest  in 
church  or  state,  does  no  hurt  to  one's  reputation  among  people 
of  enlarged  sentiments.  If  the  various  tribes  of  mankind  are 
to  confront  each  other  in  another  world  after  this,  the  Ameri- 
can savages  will  be  able  to  bear  witness  how  far  the  civilized 
Europeans  excelled  them  in  a  cheerful  submission  to  the 
moral  sense.*  As  our  taste  refines,  we  learn  to  distinguish 
nicely,  and  to  sin  grossly.  Among  half  a  dozen  of  words, 
signifying  nearly  the  same  thing,  we  can  perhaps  mark  out 
so  many  degrees  of  decency  in  the  use  of  them :  and  to  tres- 
pass against  any  established  rule  of  decorum,  will  hurt  the 
character  of  a  gentleman  more  than  the  transgression  of  any 
Divine  law,  decently  committed. 

Yet  our  author  is  delighted  in  reflecting,  that  *'  society 
teaches  mankind  self-denial,"  or  to  become  each  others'  most 
humble  servants.  It  would  lead  us  into  a  long  detail,  to  ob- 
serve how  the  gratification  of  malice,  revenge,  avarice,  and 
every  other  criminal  appetite,  maybe  pursued,  in  a  consistency 
of  a  character  for  politeness.  But  instead  of  enlarging  on  this, 
I  shall  content  myself  with  quoting  a  few  words  from  Voltaire, 
who  cannot,  I  think,  be  justly  accused  of  entertaining  splene- 
tic views  of  human  nature.  In  his  19th  letter  concerning 
the  English  nation,  giving  the  character  of  Mr.  Congreve  as 
a  writer,  he  says,  "  The  late  Mr.  Congreve  raised  the  glory 
of  comedy  to  a  greater  height  than  any  English  writer  before 
or  since  his  time.     He  wrote  only  a  few  plays,  but  they  were 


*  To  go  no  frirther  than  the  Indiaii.s  situated  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
our  own  colonies,  we  are  credibly  informed,  that  both  British  and 
French  captives,  who  have  been  detained  a  few  years  among  them, 
wlien,  upon  a  treaty  of  peace,  liberty  is  granted  them  to  return  home, 
are  extremely  averse,  even  though  earnestly  sohcited  by  their  relations, 
to  make  use  of  that  liberty,  and  choose  rather  to  remain  among  these 
savages,  so  much  noted  for  scalping  their  enemies:  a  manifest  proof, 
that  they  find  among  them  no  less  humanity  than  among  their  own 
civilized  coimtrymen.  See  Colden's  History  of  the  Five  Nations. 
15 


170  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  lY- 

all  excellent  in  their  kind.  The  laws  of  the  drama  are 
strictly  observed  in  them :  they  abound  with  characters,  all 
which  are  shadowed  w  ith  the  utmost  delicacy,  and  we  do  not 
meet  with  as  much  as  one  low  or  coarse  jest.  The  language  is 
every  where  that  of  men  of  honour,  but  their  actions  are  those 
of  knaves  ;  a  proof  that  he  was  perfectly  well  acquainted  with 
human  nature,  and  frequented  what  we  call  polite  company." 

Butthe  fullest  view  of  our  author's  scheme  is  to  be  had  in 
his  last  essay,  which  treats  of  our  knowledge  of  the  Deity, 
more  especially  the  latter  part,  concerning  his  benevolence. 
Here  our  author  unravels  his  mystery.  Here  we  see  the 
use  of  all  the  complicated  machinery  he  had  before  contrived. 
He  proceeds  upon  this  principle,  That  if  natural  and  moral 
evil  prevailed  as  much  in  reality,  as  they  do  in  appearance, 
the  objections  against  the  Divine  goodness  Avould  stand  un- 
answered. He  cannot  conceive  how  the  Divine  goodness 
can  stand  unimpeached,  if  it  appear  invariably  opposite  to 
all  evil,  or,  in  other  words,  if  the  Divine  displeasure  be  point- 
ed against  every  transgression  of  that  law  w'hich  requires 
goodness  or  love,  or  if  misery  be  the  consequence  of  every 
sin.  He  judges,  that  if  what  we  call  sin,  were  really  so  in 
every  view,  and  misery  the  certain  consequence  of  it,  this 
would  argue  malevolence  and  bad  intention  in  the  being  who 
established  the  connection,  and  would  represent  to  us  such 
invisible  powder,  as  he  says  is  dreaded  by  savages.  "And," 
says  he,  "  I  am  persuaded,  that  nothing  has  been  more  hurt- 
ful to  religion  than  the  irregular  propensity  in  our  nature  to 
dread  such  powers."  It  had  been  worth  his  while  to  have 
considered  whence  proceeded  this  propensity  in  our  nature, 
with  the  irregularity  of  which  he  is  so  much  dissatisfied. — 
Perhaps  he  might  have  found,  that  it  corresponded  exactly 
with  another  irregularity.  And,  then,  why  might  he  not 
have  perceived  the  common  nature  of  the  human  species  to 
be  as  perfect,  with  two  irregularities  exactly  corresponding 
to  each  other,  as  with  some  strange  single  one,  to  which  he 
can  find  no  counterpart  1  But  he  is  now  more  disposed  than 
formerly  to  admit  some  imperfection  in  human  nature. 

However,  this  irregularity  is  corrected  by  education  in 
civilized  society.  As  men  get  their  taste  and  manners  re- 
fined, and  the  rules  of  decorum  by  degrees  imprinted  on  their 
hearts,  they  arrive  at  last  to  the  knowledge  of  a  benevolent, 
that  is,  of  a  perfectly  complaisant  and  well-bred  Deity.  "And 
thus  to  society  we  owe  all  the  blessings  of  life,  and  particu- 
larly the  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  that  most  inestimable 
branch  of  human  knowledge."     Whereas,  with  respect  to 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND   ASPASIO.  171 

savages,  the  case  stands  thus.  "  Being-  conscious  of  nothing 
but  disorder  and  sensual  impulse  within,  they  cannot  be  con- 
scious of  anything^  better  without  them."  What  are  they 
conscious  of  from  without  ?  Why,  they  are  afraid  of  some 
invisible  adverse  power  :  "  For  it  is  evident,  that  fear  can  nev- 
er be  the  cause  of  our  belief  of  a  benevolent  (or  complaisant) 
Deity."  Now,  that  which  savages  dread  from  without,  must 
be  some  invisible  power  that  is  averse  to  the  disorder  they 
are  conscious  of  within  :  for  were  it  like  themselves,  or  what 
they  are  conscious  of,  agreeable  to  it,  they  would  have  no 
cause  of  fear. 

Thus  we  have,  as  it  were,  by  accident,  hit  upon  the  very 
truth  of  the  case.  And  as  often  as  either  philosophers  or 
preachers  speak  according  to  nature,  they  must  always  say,  that 
our  apprehensions  of  invisible  power  without  us,  must  always 
correspond  with  what  we  are  conscious  of  within.  Yea,  the 
law  given  to  Israel,  which  confirms  the  voice  of  nature,  and 
ascertains  it  by  express  words,  exhibits  the  language  of  the 
Deity  thus:  If  ye  walk  contrary/  to  me,  then  ivill  I  also  walk 
contrary  unto  you.  I  am  ready,  then,  to  agree  with  our  au- 
thor, in  maintaining,  that  he  who  is  conscious  of  no  wrong, 
no  disorder  within,  has  no  reason  to  entertain  uneasy  appre- 
hensions about  any  power  without  him.  On  the  contrary, 
"  having  confidence  in  the  good  government  of  the  Deity,  he 
is  persuaded,  that  every  thing  happens  for  the  best ;  and, 
therefore,  that  it  is  his  duty  to  submit  to  whatever  happens. — 
This  unfolds  a  scene  so  enlivening,  and  so  productive  of 
cheerfulness  and  good  humour,  that  we  cannot  readily  think, 
if  there  is  a  benevolent  Deity,  that  he  will  withhold  from  his 
creatures  so  invaluable  a  blessing."  On  this  occasion,  we 
may  observe,  that  all  sorts  of  men,  from  the  most  subtle  phi- 
losophers down  to  the  rudest  savages,  are  on  some  occasions 
sensible  of  the  necessity  of  a  righteousness,  to  make  their 
apprehensions  of  invisible  power  agreeable  and  comfortable.* 

But  our  author  is  more  prudent  than  to  rest  our  happiness 
wholly  on  this  bottom.     He  is  sensible,  that  it  must  be  diffi- 


*  Tliis  ohsen'ation  is  confirmed  to  u?  by  the  author  of  a  late  Natural 
History  of  Rrligion,  p.  109 ;  "  After  the  commi.ssion  of  crimes,  there 
arise  remorse,  and  secret  horrors,  which  gave  no  rest  to  the  mind,  but 
inake  it  have  recourse  to  rehgious  rites  and  ceremonies  as  expiations  of 
its  offences.  Whatever  weakens  or  disorders  the  internal  frame,  pro- 
motes the  interests  of  superstition ;  and  nothing  is  more  destructive  to 

them  than  a  manly  steady  virtue "'     But  wo,  to  that  pilot  who  loses 

hold  of  the  helm  in  the  time  of  a  storm,  when  shelves  are  near.     And 
who  can  keep  long  at  sea,  without  being  exposed  to  a  storm? 


172  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

cult,  even  for  civilized  people,  to  free  themselves  altogether 
from  the  irregular  propensity  in  their  nature,  to  dread  some 
invisible  adverse  power  ;  because  notwithstanding  their  great 
improvements,  they  are  liable,  on  some  occasions,  to  be  pain- 
ed with  the  consciousness  of  some  wrong,  some  disorder,  after 
all,  remaining  with  them.  On  some  occasions,  I  say :  for 
"  while  the  guihy  person  is  in  prosperity,  he  makes  a  shift 
to  blunt  the  stings  of  conscience ;  but  no  sooner  does  he  fall 
into  distress,  or  into  any  depression  of  mind,  than  his  con- 
science la3^s  fast  hold  of  him,  his  crime  stares  him  in  the  face, 
and  every  accidental  misfortune  is  converted  into  a  real  pun- 
ishment." Therefore,  though  we  have  had  the  advantage  of 
being  educated  amongst  civilized  people,  we  often  stand  in 
need,  after  all,  of  the  most  sublime  discoveries  that  philoso- 
phy can  make,  to  complete  the  composure  of  our  minds. 

Education,  in  civilized  nations,  as  we  have  already  noted, 
contributes  greatly  to  correct  our  irregular  propensity  to  fear. 
By  occupying  our  attention  with  the  care  of  our  external  ap- 
pearance, it  steals  awa}'  our  thoughts  from  the  disquieting 
perception  of  inward  disorder.  And  while  it  refines  our 
taste  and  manners,  it  furnishes  us  with  the  agreeable  rising 
prospect  of  something  so  very  like  righteousness,  as  to  be 
often  mistaken  for  it.  Thus  far  matters  go  on  pleasantly 
enough.  But,  then,  as  even  the  politest  people  are  liable  to 
fall  into  distress  and  depression  of  mind,  their  thoughts  in 
that  case  are  very  apt  to  recoil  inward  upon  them ;  and  if 
there  be  any  remaining  disorder  within,  to  take  fast  hold  of 
that,  and  consequently  fill  their  breast  with  the  most  trouble- 
some apprehensions.*     Thus,  in  the  minds  of  the  most  polite, 


*  Especially  if  it  be  true,  that  these  apprehensions  are  natural  to  the 
human  race,  as  is  affirmed  in  the  forementioned  Natural  History  of  Re- 
liirion,  p.  110;  "While  we  abandon  ourselves  to  the  natural,  undisci- 
plined suggestions  of  our  timid  and  an.xious  hearts,  every  kind  of  bar- 
barity is  a^jcribed  to  the  Supreme  Being  from  the  terrors  with  which  we 
are  agitated;  and  every  kind  of  caprice,  from  the  methods  which  we 

embrace  in  order  to  appease  him. It  maybe  allowed,  that  the  artifices 

of  men  aggravate  our  natural  infirmities  and  follies  of  this  kind,  but 
never  originally  beget  them.  Their  root  .strikes  deeper  into  the  mind, 
and  springs  from  the  essential  and  universal  properties  of  human  na- 
ture." Here  philosophy  lends  her  friendly  aid  to  repel  the  force  of 
nature.  But  ancient  sages  have  observed  that  (Naturam  expcllas,  &c.,) 
though  you  drive  nature  out  at  the  door,  it  will  come  in  at  the  window. 
Philosophers  themselves  at  certain  serious  moments,  especially,  when 
one  is  taking  his  last  leave  of  his  friends,  are  apt  to  complain  of  the  im- 
pertinent recurring  of  nature,  and  to  chide  each  other  for  suffering  their 
philosophy  to  fail  them,  at  the  time  they  have  most  need  of  it. 

As  the  Natural  History  contains  some  remarkable  reflections,  I  shall 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  173 

a  most  formidable  objection  is  often  formed,  against  their  hav- 
ing any  interest  in  the  Divine  favour.  Here  it  is  that  the 
great  excellency  of  philosophy  shines  forth,  while  it  gene- 
rously presents  an  answer  to  this  objection,  of  all  others  the 
most  disquieting.     And  this  it  does,  by  sagaciously  discover- 


here  tiike  notice  of  some  of  them,  pp.  49,  50 ;  "  Were  there  a  rehgion 
(and  we  may  suspect  Mahometanism  of  this  inconsistence,)  which  some- 
times painted  the  Deity  in  the  most  subhme  colours,  as  the  Creator  of 
heaven  and  earth;  sometimes  degraded  him  nearly  to  a  level  with  human 
creatures,  in  his  powers  and  faculties;  while  at  the  same  time  it  ascribed 
to  him  suitable  infirmities,  passions,  and  parti;ilities  of  the  moral  kind; 
that  religion,  after  it  was  extinct,  would  also  be  cited  as  an  instance  of 
those  gross  contradictions,  which  arise  from  the  gross  vulgar  natural  con- 
ceptions of  mankind,  opposed  to  their  continual  propensity  towards 
flattery  and  exaggeration.  Nothing  indeed  would  prove  more  strongly 
the  Divine  origin  of  any  religion,  than  to  find  (and  happily  this  is  the 
case  with  Christianity)  that  it  is  free  from  a  contradiction  so  incident  to 
human  nature."  Not  to  mind  the  low  wit  in  the  two  parenthesis,  which 
shows,  at  the  same  time,  a  fear  and  contempt  of  the  friends  of  the  establish- 
ed religion,  we  have  no  cause  to  be  ashamed  of  the  apostolic  testimony 
concerning  the  Divine  Majesty  and  character,  manifested  in  a  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief,  and  who  prayed  for  his  own  people, 
not  for  the  world.  The  author  justly  observes,  that  this  religion,  in 
some  future  age  after  it  is  extinct,  will  then  deserve  to  be  laughed  at. 
For,  indeed,  the  followers  of  the  apostles  have  nothing  else  to  support 
them  against  the  laugh,  but  an  appeal  to  futurity.  All  that  we  can  say 
at  present  is,  that  the  apostolic  testimony  has  now,  for  more  than  a  thou- 
sand years,  withstood  the  wit  of  the  j^hilosophers  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  more  pernicious  artifices  of  the  clergy  on  the  other,  and  still  remains 
to  this  day  as  a  considerable  eyesore  to  them  both. 

Pages  35,  313,  "  And  thus,  however  strong  men's  propensity  to  believe 
invisible  power  in  nature,  their  propensity  is  equally  strong  to  rest  their 
attention  on  sensible  visible  objects;  and  in  order  to  reconcile  these  op- 
posite inclinations,  they  are  led  to  unite  the  invisible  power  with  some 
visible  object."  How  admirably,  then,  is  the  Christian  religion  fitted  to 
relieve  human  nature,  where  it  is  embarrassed  with  contradictions?  It 
assures  us  of  an  invisible  power,  far  superior  to  the  power  of  nature ; 
and  yet,  exhibits  all  the  perfections  of  this  power  in  a  visible  object, 
oven  in  a  man. 

Page  95,  "  Here,  therefore,  is  a  kind  of  contradiction  betwixt  the  dif- 
ferent principles  of  human  nature,  which  enter  into  religion.  Our  na- 
tural terrors  present  the  notion  of  an  adverse  Deity  ;"  [1  have  here  sub- 
stituted one  epithet,  instead  of  two  very  coarse  ones  ;]  "  our  i)ropensiiy 
to  praise  leads  us  to  acknowledge  an  excellent  and  divine.  And  the  in- 
fluence of  these  opposite  principles  is  various,  according  to  the  different 
situation  of  the  human  understanding."  ^Setting  aside  somewhat  of  this 
author's  colouring,  nothing  can  be  more  jusily  observed,  than  that  hu- 
man nature  has  a  strong  propensity  to  dread  some  invisible  adverse 
power,  and  at  the  same  time  a  propensity,  no  less  strong,  to  approve  of 
that  same  power.  And  the  opposition  or  combination  of  these  two  in 
the  human  breast,  is  the  very  source  of  man's  disquiet.  Here  again  the 
gospel  proves  the  only  reconciler  of  contradictions.  It  preserves  the 
majesty  of  the  invisible  power,  which  we  naturally  dread,  and  at  the 
15* 


174  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

in^,  "  that  the  feeling  we  have  of  liberty  does  not  correspond 
to  the  truth  of  things  ;  and  that  our  peculiar  manner  of  con- 
ceiving human  actions  as  right  or  wrong,  and  as  praise  or 
blame  worthy,  is  wholly  founded  on  this  deceitful  feeling." 
To  the  same  purpose  we  read  in  a  former  essay,  "  On  the 
system  of  universal  necessity,  abstracted  from  this  feeling, 
though  certain  affections  and  actions  might  excite  our 
approbation,  and  others  our  dislike,  there  could  be  no 
place  for  blame  or  remorse.  AH  the  ideas  would  entirely 
vanish,  which  at  present  are  suggested  by  the  words  ought 
and  should,  when  applied  to  moral  conduct."  Let  us  now 
observe,  with  how  great  satisfaction  our  author  contemplates 
this  important  discovery.  "  This  discovery  affords  a  solid 
answer  to  an  objection,  which,  so  far  as  I  know,  has  not  hitherto 
received  any  good  answer.  And  it  is  that  the  objection  rests 
entirely  upon  a  false  supposition,  as  if  human  actions  were 
seen  in  the  same  light  by  the  Deity,  in  which  they  are  seen 
by  men.  A  feeling  which  is  not  agreeable  to  the  truth  of 
things,  though  wisely  ordered  to  correct  an  imperfect  consti- 
tution in  man,  cannot  be  ascribed  to  a  perfect  being.  The 
Deity  perceiving  all  things  as  they  are,  without  disguise, 
knows  that  what  is  termed  moral  evil  in  the  language  of 

same  time  exhibits  that  same  power  full  of  benignity  toward  the  basest 
and  most  obnoxious  of  mankind.  Thus  we  see,  that  the  God  whose 
character  is  drawn  by  the  apostles,  is  not  partial,  has  no  respect  of  per- 
sons, like  the  pure  intelligence,  or  the  to  nav,  of  the  philosophers,  which 
only  reveals  itself  to  a  few  speculative  men,  and  abandons  the  remaining 
fAillions  of  mankind,  who  have  neither  capacity  nor  opportunity  for  re- 
fined speculation,  as  a  prey  to  the  natural  undisciplined  suggestions  of 
their  own  timid  and  anxious  hearts,  and  as  so  many  wretched  dupes  to 
»be  artifices  of  their  priests. 

On  this  occasion,  we  might  propose  the  following  problem  for  the 
consideration  of  philosophers.  Seeing  it  is  a  fixed  point  that  the  pre- 
sent state  of  things  is  the  only  rule  by  which  we  can  judge  about  the 
future ;  that  in  this  state  all  our  ideas  of  what  is  good  are  enlarged,  in 
proportion  as  we  see  it  contrasted  with  the  opposite  evil;  that  even  the 
standard  of  taste  is  approached  to,  by  nicely  contrasting  beauties  with 
Dlemishes  ;  and  seeing  that,  in  order  to  raise  the  dignity  of  the  philoso- 
pher to  its  proper  point  of  elevation,  large  portions  of'  the  earth  are  in- 
habited by  savages,  and  even  civihzed  nations  for  the  most  part  deluded 
by  their  priests ;  this  being  the  case  at  present,  I  say,  who  knows  but,  in 
the  next  world,  when  the  expected  perfect  system  takes  place,  the  per- 
fection of  that  system  may  appear  by  a  more  decisive  contrast  betwixt 
good  and  evil,  than  in  this  .'  And  a.s"no  contrast  is  more  evident  at  pre- 
sent, than  that  betwixt  the  God  worshiped  by  the  apostles,  and  the  pure 
mtelligence  of  the  philosophers;  may  it  not  be  expected,  that  the  contest 
betwixt  these  two  powers  and  their  votaries,  will  be  decided  in  the  next 
state,  that  it  may  at  kst  incontestably  appear  to  friends  and  foes,  what 
that  being  is  tlia't  framed  and  governs  the  universe  ? 


LET.  IV.]  TIIFRON  AND  ASPaSIO.  175 

man  is,  as  well  as  moral  good,  the  result  of  general  laws, 
and  of  a  necessary  connec^.ion  betwixt  causes  and  their  ef- 
fects. Every  thing  possesses  its  proper  place  in  his  plan. — 
All  our  actions  contribute  equally  to  carry  on  the  great  and 
good  designs  of  Providence  ;  and,  therefore,  there  is  nothing 
which  in  his  sight  is  evil,  at  least  nothing  which  is  evil  upon 
the  whole.  Considering  the  objection  in  the  above  light,  it 
loses  its  force."  Thus  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  when 
their  disguise  is  set  aside,  perceive  the  benevolence  of  the 
Deity  wearing  an  equally  smiling  aspect  toward  them  both. 
They  have  both  been  equally  serving  him  in  their  several 
ways,  and  are  accordingly  both  equally  entitled  to  his  favour 
and  protection. 

Thus  our  author,  in  a  manner  truly  philosophical,  opens  for 
men  the  prospect  of  happiness  in  a  future  state :  and  thus  he 
clears  from  all  difficuhies,  the  principle  of  joyful  expectation, 
which  he  had  laid  down  a  little  before.  For  a  page  or  two 
before,  at  the  close  of  his  answer  to  the  objection  against  our 
confidence  in  the  Divine  favour  or  benevolence,  arising  from 
natural  evil,  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  other 
objection,  arising  from  moral  evil,  he  expresses  himself  thus  : 
"  It  will  be  observed,  that,  in  answering  the  above  objection, 
to  the  benevolence  of  the  Deity,  I  have  avoided  urging  any 
argument  from  our  future  existence,  though  it  affords  a  fruit- 
ful field  of  comfort,  greatly  overbalancing  the  transitory  evils 
of  this  life.  But  I  should  scarce  think  it  fair  reasoning,  to 
urge  such  topics  upon  this  subject,  which  would  be  arguing  in  a 
circle  ;  because  the  benevolence  of  the  Deity  is  the  only  solid 
principle  from  whence  we  can  infer  a  future  existence."  It 
is  here  very  honestly  acknowledged  by  our  author,  that  it 
would  be  unfair  reasoning,  and  arguing  in  circle,  to  bring 
arguments  from  a  future  state,  whereof  we  know  nothing,  in 
order  to  clear  up  difficulties  in  the  present  state :  for  surely 
we  can  at  present  know  nothing  about  the  character  of  the 
Deity,  further  than  it  has  already  been  manifested  to  us  by 
some  appearance  or  work.  Our  author,  then,  from  a  survey 
of  the  various  tokens  of  Divine  benevolence  to  men,  which 
yet  all  issue  in  the  destroying  that  life  which,  for  a  short 
period,  they  cherish  and  support,  establishes  a  firm  foundation, 
a  solid  principle,  to  support  the  most  joyful  expectation  of 
happiness  in  a  future  state.  And  this,  it  must  be  confessed,  is 
the  utmost  length  that  philosophy  can  go  for  our  encourage- 
ment in  this  matter.  But  should  a  generous  prince,  after 
having  for  a  course  of  years  heaped  many  favours  on  one  of 
his  servants,  think  fit  to  throw  him  into  a  loathsome  dungeon, 


176  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

for  his  ungrateful  breach  of  trust ;  I  would  be  at  a  great  loss 
to  infer  from  the  whole  of  the  prince's  conduct  towards  his 
servant,  that  he  entertained  the  most  benevolent  designs  con- 
cerning him,  and  intended  his  future  promotion.  I  would 
be  afraid  least  the  principles  on  which  I  proceeded  were  not 
very  solid.  But  melhinks  there  is  still  more  reason,  for  being 
afraid  in  the  other  case,  where  the  punishment  is  capital,  and 
where  every  other  consideration  is  of  the  widest  extent. 

We  have  seen,  then,  what  philosophy  can  do  for  us,  and 
what  its  adepts  standing  upon  each  others'  shoulders,  and  profit- 
ing by  the  assistance  of  their  predecessors,  have  been  able  to 
discover  for  our  relief,  as  far  down  as  the  year  1751,  when 
these  essays  were  published.  I  can  easily  see  that  the  dis- 
coveries our  author  has  made,  must  have  cost  him  no  small 
labour,  and  expense  of  thought ;  but  I  am  at  a  loss  to  see  how 
he  finds  this  expense  repaid,  or  how  he  finds  such  refreshment 
and  enjoyment  in  looking  back  on  them,  as  he  expresses  in 
the  first  paragraph  of  the  conclusion ;  "  We  have  thus  gone 
through  a  variety  of  subjects,  not  without  labour,  and  expense 
of  thought :  and  now,  like  a  traveller,  who,  after  examining 
the  different  parts  of  a  country,  ascend  to  some  eminence  to 
review  the  whole,  let  us  refresh  ourselves,  by  looking  back, 
and  enjoying  the  discoveries  we  have  made."  And  till  better 
authority  be  produced,  I  am  no  less  at  a  loss  to  find  what  ani- 
mates his  devotion  at  the  close  of  all,  unless  I  should  suppose 
that  his  noble  enthusiasm*  is  kindled  by  reflecting  on  the 


*  The  author  of  the  forementioned  natural  histoiy,  modestly  declin- 
ing to  soar  aloft  on  the  wings  of  enthusiasm,  contents  himself  v/ith  seek- 
ing out  a  shady  retreat  in  the  lower  regions.  The  concluding  period  of 
his  natural  history  runs  thus : 

"  The  whole  is  a  riddle,  an  enigma,  an  inexplicable  mystery.  Doubt, 
uncertainty,  suspense  of  judgment,  appear  the  only  result  of  our  inquiry 
concerning  this  sui)ject.  But  such  is  the  frailty  of  human  reason,  and 
such  tlie  irresistible  contagion  of  oj^inion,  that  even  this  deliberate  doubt 
could  scarce  be  upheld,  did  we  not  enlarge  our  view,  and,  opposing  one 
species  of  superstition  to  another,  set  them  a  quarrelling,  while  we  our- 
selves, during  their  fury  and  contention,  happily  making  our  escape  into 
the  cahn,  though  obscure,  regions  of  philosophy."  We  can  easily  under- 
stand how  tliese  regions  are  obscured  ;  but  it  is  not  so  obvious  how  they 
are  calm  ;  especially  if  it  be  true,  as  we  are  told  in  a  subsequent  disserta- 
tion on  the  passions,  that  "  uncertainty  has  the  same  effect  as  opposition. 
The  agitation  of  the  thought,  the  quick  turns  which  it  makes  from  one 
view  to  another,  the  variety  o<"  passions  which  succeed  each  other  accord- 
ing to  the  different  views  ;  all  these  produce  an  agitation  in  the  mind,  and 
this  agitation  transfuses  itself  into  the  predominant  pa.ssion."' 

But  perhaps  the  matter  may  be  solved  thus,  by  comparing  the  two 
quotations  together.  The  philosopher  keeps  all  (juiet  at  home,  by  send- 
ing his  thoughts  abroad.     He  amuses  himself  by  tlirowing  squibs  among 


LET.  I  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  177 

wisdom,  the  ingenious  contrivance,  and  the  complicated  ma- 
chinery appearing  ia  the  essays  themselves.  Till  better  au- 
thority be  produced,  I  say,  for  I  acknowledge  I  have  no 
where  seen  a  more  ingenious  philosophical  dream  :  and  lor 
my  own  part,  were  I  deprived  of  the  New  Testament,  I  would 
rather  choose  to  dream  pleasantly  and  be  deceived  agreeably, 
with  our  author,  than  torment  myself  by  an  obstinate  adhe- 
rence to  disquieting  truth :  yea,  I  would  fear  nothing  more 
than  lest  I  should  be  unseasonably  awakened.  Our  author 
might  likewise  have  provided  a  remedy  against  this  fear.  He 
had  hinted  a  very  just  maxim,  'I'hat  the  appearance  of  the 
Deity  towards  us  in  this  state,  is  the  only  solid  principle  from 
whence  we  can  infer  his  conduct  toward  us  in  the  next. 
Now,  if  we  are  conducted  by  a  wise  delusion  here,  why 
might  we  not  be  conducted  by  a  still  more  wise  one  hereafter, 
when  we  attain  the  full  maturity  of  our  nature?  For  our 
author  supposes,  that  when  man  grows  old,  decays,  dies,  and 
rots,  he  is  advancing  toward  the  maturity  of  his  nature. 

But  our  author  prudently  inclines  to  restrain  the  use  of 
the  above  mentioned  maxim,  so  as  no  more  may  be  inferred 
from  it  but  what  we  fondly  wish ;  because,  otherwise,  there 
would  be  a  manifest  hazard  of  its  introducing  into  the  next 
world,  all  the  disagreeable  ideas  which,  on  some  occasions, 
even  in  spite  of  philosophy,  serve  to  disturb  our  pleasant 
dreams  in  the  present  state.  After  all,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged, that  there  is  some  difficulty  in  judging  how  far  it  is 
prudent  to  admit  this  maxim ;  or  if  it  be  admitted,  how  far  it 
ought  to  be  used.  And  this  difficulty  may  be  left  as  a  pro- 
blem proper  for  exercising  the  reasoning  faculty  of  succeed- 
ing philosophers,  even  as  it  has  done  that  of  all  who  have 
gone  before. 

On  the  whole,  I  know  no  philosopher  who  has  devised  a 
more  ingenious  scheme  for  cutting  the  sinews  of  remorse 


the  various  classes  of  religionists ;  and  while  he  sets  them  a  quarrelling, 
his  mind  is  kept  in  pl;iy  by  the  quick  turns  which  it  makes  from  one  view 
to  another.  Now,  it  will  readily  be  granted,  that  one  can  more  easily 
preserve  himsell'in  an  easy  neutrality  and  agreeable  suspense,  in  behold- 
ing the  squabbles  of  others,  than  when  his  ov/n  thoughts  are  inwardly  at 
war.  But  there  is  a  serious  hour  awaiting  philosophers  as  well  as  other 
men,  when  the  quarrels  of  others  can  give  us  no  more  entertainment 
Yet  what  cannot  philosophy  do  ?  It  taught  the  Emperor  M.  Antonius, 
that  a  wise  man  ought  to  die  composedly,  sedately,  perfectly  indifferent 
what  l)ecame  of  him  after  death,  and  whether  he  sliould  have  any  future 
existence  or  not ;  and  to  glory  in  this  composed  indiiierence,  as  more  fit 
to  persuafle  otliers,  than  the  obstinate  confidence  which  Christians  show- 
ed in  suffering  death  for  their  religion. 


178  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

than  our  author  has  done.  He  has  got  several  opponents. 
Some  of  them  avail  themselves  of  the  common  plausible  cry 
of  jealousy  for  the  interests  of  morality ;  a  cry  warmly 
espoused  by  many  who  are  no  way  remarkable  for  excelling 
others  in  their  practice.  It  is,  perhaps,  easy  to  find  men  of 
tolerably  decent  characters  on  both  sides  of  almost  any  dis- 
pute whatever;  but  the  great  concern  of  all  men  is,  how  to 
find  a  proper  expedient  for  abating  or  removing  the  pain  of 
remorse.  Many  find  fault  with  our  author's  expedient,  as 
confessedly  deceitful,  while  they  themselves  either  furnish  us 
with  none  at  all,  or  exhibit  to  us  one  that  is  no  less  deceitful. 
It  were  to  be  wished  that  his  opponents  would  attend  more 
seriously  to  the  cardinal  point,  where  the  great  stress  lies. 

Though  I  am  far  from  joining  issue  with  those  who  would 
censure  our  author  as  a  heretic,  it  appearing  to  me  no  less 
ridiculous  to  charge  a  philosopher  with  heresy,  than  to 
accuse  a  eunuch  of  incest ;  yet  1  think  he  deserves  a  gen- 
tle reprimand  from  the  readers  of  ancient  books  for  two  mani- 
fest breaches  of  decorum,  in  endeavouring  to  support  his  own 
sentiments  by  referring  us  to  two  passages  of  Scripture,  with- 
out regarding  the  scope  of  those  passages,  which,  if  duly 
attended  to,  serves  to  oppose  and  overthrow  his  whole  scheme. 
He  adopts  the  words  of  Paul  concerning  the  law  of  nature, 
icritten  in  the  heart,  without  regard  to  Paul's  sepse,  either  as 
to  the  extent  of  that  law,  or  as  it  operates  in  like  manner  in 
the  consciences  of  the  Gentiles,*  as  the  law  of  Moses  did  in 
those  of  the  Jews,  and  is  no  less  infallibly  attended  with  its 
correspondent  effects  and  consequences.  He  also  adopts,  for 
the  last  words  of  his  book,  that  sentence  wherein  Moses 
describes  the  Deity's  approbation  of  all  his  works  at  the  close 
of  the  six  days,  as  equally  applicable  to  the  state  of  the  world 
now  as  then.  Now,  it  is  impossible  to  learn  from  Moses 
what  our  author  seems  to  have  discovered,  that  man  in  his 
original  state  was  savage,  and  conscious  of  nothing  but  disor- 
der and  sensual  impulse  within ;  and,  accordingly,  having  no 
idea  of  anything  better  without  him.  Moses  indeed  informs 
us,  that  in  the  course  of  ten  generations,  when  the  arts  of 
life  were  greatly  advanced,  the  world  was  filled  with  much 

*  Paul's  sense,  Rom.  ii,  runs  plainly  thus:  For  tchen  tite  Gentiles  which 
have  not  the  law  [of  Moses,]  <i>vaci  ra  tov  vo^ov  noir),  by  nature  act  the  part 
of  the  law,  these  having  not  the  laic,  are  a  law  unto  themselves  :  which  show 
the  work  of  the  laic  icritten  in  their  hearts,  tchile  their  conscience  bears  joint 
witness,  and  their  mutital  reasonings  alternately  accuse  and  apologize.  Thus 
the  Apostle  appeals  for  proof  of  what  he  says,  to  what  may  be  observed 
every  day,  in  the  altercations  of  tlie  meanest  of  the  vulgar. 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  179 

disorder,  and  was  accordingly  destroyed  by  the  special 
appointment  of  the  Deity.  But  at  the  same  time  he  suffi- 
ciently intimates,  that  there  was  a  great  difference  betwixt 
this  and  the  original  state  of  man.  When  man  was  in  his 
original  state,  God  saiv  ever?/  thing  that  he  had  made,  arid 
behold,  it  icas  very  good.  Again,  when  man,  in  midst  of  all  his 
ingenious  improvements  in  the  arts  of  life,  became  greatly 
corrupted,  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great ; 
and  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earth, 
and  it  grieved  him  at  his  heart ;  and  the  Lord  said,  I  will 
destroy  man  whom  I  have  created.  If  our  author  was  dis- 
posed to  give  us  his  sense  of  either  of  these  two  passages,  he 
ought  to  have  done  it  in  consistency  with  the  other.  I  know 
not  how  it  may  be  with  others,  but  it  is  no  less  grating  to 
my  ear,  to  hear  philosophers  quote  Scripture,  than  to  hear 
popular  preachers  describing  philosophically  who  are  the 
fittest  objects  of  the  Divine  mercy,  or  to  hear  a  certain  class  of 
zealots  quoting  authorities  from  the  New  Testament,  and  the 
example  of  the  first  patient  believers  of  the  gospel,  in  support 
of  the  solemn  league  and  covenant  Our  author  durst  not, 
for  his  own  credit,  have  quoted  any  Greek  or  Roman  writer 
as  he  has  done  the  Bible. 

I  have  already  shown,  in  the  general,  how  fitly  philosophy 
and  the  popular  doctrine  may  be  compared  together.  It 
were  easy  to  extend  the  comparison  in  a  variety  of  views. 
The  distinction  made  by  the  former  betwixr  savages  and 
civilized  nations,  or  rather  that  betwixt  philosophers  and  the 
vulgar,  answers  to  the  distinction  made  by  the  latter  betwixt 
those  said  to  be  converted  and  the  mere  hearers  of  the  gospel, 
or  that  more  extensive  one  betwixt  the  devout  and  the  pro- 
fane. Philosophers  see  no  dignity  in  simple  human  nature: 
mere  man  appears  to  them  a  very  despicable  creature  in 
every  respect  but  this  one,  that  he  is  endued  with  a  certain 
docility,  or  turn  for  imitation,  which  by  the  assistance  of  cer- 
tain preceptors  and  mechanics,  conspiring  together  to  form 
his  mind,  his  gesture  and  dress,  may  render  him  at  last  a 
very  handsome,  sagacious,  and  high-mettled  animal.  Popu- 
lar preachers,  while  they  seem  to  agree  with  the  Scripture 
account  of  human  nature,  find  at  last  by  diligent  search,  in  a 
remote  corner  of  man's  heart,  certain  live  embers,  which, 
when  powerfully  blown  upon  by  a  fervent  preacher,  may 
produce  a  very  bright  and  vigorous  flame. 

Philosophy  leads  its  adepts  to  the  knowledge  of  a  very 
complaisant  Deity.  The  popular  doctrine  teaches  its  votaries, 
that  on  their  performing  a  certain  act,  never  yet  clearly  de- 


180  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

scribed,  the  Deity  distinguishes  them  from  other  men  as  his 
favourites,  and  is  not  so  much  displeased  with  their  sins  (if 
now  they  deserve  to  be  called  so,)  as  with  those  of  other  men. 

Philosophy  has  several  ingenious  contrivances  for  blunting 
the  edge  of  remorse.  But  in  this  respect  the  popular  doctrine 
may  take  for  its  motto.  My  name  is  Legion,  for  we  are  many. 

Yet  the  popular  doctrine  has  a  certain  defaced  majesty, 
which  philosophy  cannot  boast  of  Of  this  we  may  have 
some  idea,  could  we  only  imagine  the  ancient  temple  of  Solo- 
mon to  be  converted  into  a  modern  exchange,  and  the  original 
sanctity  of  the  place  transferred  to  give  additional  importance 
to  the  transactions  of  commerce,  and  dignity  to  the  principal 
merchants  ;  whereas,  philosophic  religion  owes  all  its  dignity 
to  the  towering  imaginations  of  its  adepts. 

The  chief  thing  for  which  I  value  the  author  of  the  Essays 
on  Morality  and  Natural  Religion,  is,  that  he  condescends 
more  than  his  fellows  to  know  many  things  on  the  same  simple 
footing  with  the  meanest  of  the  vulgar.  This  book,  as  exhibit- 
ing to  us  a  system  of  philosophic  religion,  may  very  well  be 
compared  with  a  well-known  treatise  of  the  popular  doctrine, 
called  Human  Nature  in  its  Fourfold  State.  The  author  of 
the  former,  after  clearing  and  simply  evincing  many  points 
of  natural  knowledge,  artfully  goes  about  to  undermine  them 
all,  and  render  them  of  no  consequence  as  to  the  great  concern 
of  man,  his  situation  wdth  respect  to  his  Creator.  The  author 
of  the  latter  plainly  enough  sets  before  us  many  articles  of  the 
apostolic  doctrine;  yet  finds  means  to  accommodate  them  all  to 
the  pride  of  the  devotee,  and  the  honour  of  the  preacher. 

In  behalf  of  this  digression,  which,  how^ever  long,  has  not 
been  remote  from  our  main  point  in  view,  it  may  be  pled,  that 
Paul's  doctrine  is  always  best  understood  w^hen  contrasted 
with  the  wisdom  of  the  Greek  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  zeal 
of  the  Jew  on  the  other.  I  shall  now  proceed  to  finish  w^hat 
I  had  to  say  on  Reason,  by  subjoining  some  reflections  which 
I  had  put  together  before  the  considerations  of  the  essays 
occurred. 

I  have  said,  that  man  was  distinguished  from  other  animals 
by  his  conscience,  and  not  by  his  reasoning  faculty.  As  to 
the  exercise  of  this  last,  it  is  commonly  said  by  philosophers, 
that  there  is  nearly,  if  not  fully,  as  great  a  difference  betwixi 
one  man  and  another,  as  betwixt  some  men  and  some  brutes ; 
yea,  they  place  the  dullest  men  much  on  a  footing  with  the 
most  sagacious  animals  in  this  respect.  However,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  differences  among  men,  as  to  capacity  for  reason- 
ing, are  very  great.     Now,  the  apostles  in  addressing  men, 


LET.    IV.]  THEUON   AND   ASPASIO.  181 

had  no  respect  to  what  distinguishes  one  man  from  another, 
but  to  that  which  is  common  to  them  all ;  they  commended 
themselves  to  every  maii^ s  conscience;  and  their  success 
from  the  beginning,  has  chiefly  been  among  those  least  skill- 
ed in  reasoning.  On  the  other  hand,  the  seats  of  learning, 
where  the  reasoning  faculty  is  cultivated  with  great  industry, 
have  been  first  and  last  the  chief  sources  of  opposition  to  the 
gospel.  The  meanest  day-labourers  have  full  as  great  sensi- 
bility of  conscience  as  those  who  are  wholly  employed  in 
learning:  yea,  we  may  perceive  this  sensibility  more  evident 
in  the  poorest  villages,  than  in  cities  furnished  with  all 
branches  of  education.  Philosophers  themselves  often  find  it 
necessary  to  have  recourse  to  the  sentiments  of  the  plain  man, 
as  the  last  resort.  All  schemes  devised  by  human  wisdom, 
find  their  way  from  the  learned  by  slow  degrees  down  to  the 
vulgar.  The  gospel  was  first  taught  by  the  meanest  of  the 
vulgar.  The  fishers  of  Galilee  were  stationed,  as  the  preach- 
ers of  it,  at  the  chief  seat  of  learning  among  the  Jews;  and 
Paul,  who  was  skilled  in  Jewish  learning,  was  sent  to  the 
Gentiles,  who  held  that  learning  in  great  contempt.  So  little 
regard  did  the  Deity  pay  to  those  things  on  account  of  which 
men  glor^'over  one  another. 

As  the  verbal  command  given  to  the  parents  of  mankind, 
showed  the  continued  authority  of  the  Deity  over  all  his 
works ;  and  that  when  he  completed  the  form  of  nature,  he 
did  not  leave  it  to  support  itself,  or  yet  man  to  conduct  himself 
merely  by  what  he  knew  naturally,  or  might  further  learn 
from  what  he  saw :  so  the  death  then  threatened,  which  in 
consequence  of  the  first  transgression  continues  to  pass  upon 
all  men,  is  an  awful  standing  proof  of  the  authority  of  the  Di- 
vine word  over  nature.  Death  is  the  dissolution  of  nature; 
and  to  every  individual  the  same  in  effect  as  the  dissolution 
of  all  nature.  At  the  approach  of  this  awful  period,  if  oppor- 
tunity is  had  for  sober  reflection,  the  sentiments  of  men  are 
greatly  changed  from  what  they  were  in  the  busy  part  of  life. 
Many  reasonings  which  then  gave  delight,  and  received  force 
from  the  countenance  of  society,  now  lose  their  force,  when 
man  is  to  take  his  last  leave  of  societ}-,  and  all  his  enjoyments 
in  it.  Many  soothing  reasonings  arc  founded  on  misappre- 
hensions of  the  Divine  long-suifering,  manifest  in  supporting 
and  cherishino-  this  mortal  life,  during  the  short  time  wherein 
the  sentence  of  returning  to  dust  is  suspended,  and  many  on  the 
boasted  difierences  betwixt  one  man  and  another.  But  now 
the  Divine  long-suffering  comes  to  a  period,  and  all  the 
boasted  differences  disappear.  Now,  when  the  best  oi  men 
16 


182  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

consider  themselves  as  ready  to  be  laid  open  before  the  eye  of 
their  Almighty  Judge,  their  deficiencies  with  regard  to  his 
law  begin  to  appear  so  great  and  weighty,  that  all  their  excel- 
lencies above  their  fellow-men  turn  out  to  be  light  as  the  dust 
of  the  balance. 

Notwithstanding  the  care  taken  by  many  to  conceal  their 
inward  disquiet,  and  die  decently,  and  notwithstanding  the 
care  taken  by  surviving  friends  to  throw  a  veil  over  death- 
bed scenes ;  yet  enough  transpires  to  give  us  an  idea  of  the 
real  condition  of  man  in  that  awful  hour ;  to  inform  us,  that 
matters  are  in  reality  no  better  within  than  they  appear 
without ;  and  to  show  us,  that  nothing  but  the  Divine  reason 
of  hope  can  then  give  composure  to  his  heart:  but  what 
thus  transpires  occasionally,  affecting  only  small  circles  in 
society,  is  soon  smothered.  All  individuals  at  separate  times 
and  places  die ;  but  society  lives :  the  course  of  nature  con- 
tinues with  it,  and  the  sentiments  of  the  healthy  and  prosper- 
ous prevail.  If  we  could  collect  the  last  suffrages  of  dying 
individuals,  we  should  find  a  great  majority  against  those  of 
living  society.  Yet  we  have  some  public  view  of  the  real 
condition  of  man,  when  society  itself  is  threatened  with  death, 
as  in  the  case  of  earthquakes  and  other  sudden  calamities.  Be- 
sides, there  are  few  who  have  lived  any  considerable  time  in 
the  world  who  have  not  on  some  occasion  or  other  been 
exposed  to  such  imminent  danger  of  losing  their  lives,  as  is 
sufficient  to  give  them  some  idea  of  what  happens  at  death. 
Death  strips  all  men  of  their  distinctions  and  sets  them  on  a 
level.  Now,  the  Deity,  in  sending  his  gospel  to  men,  views 
their  days  as  an  hand-breadth ;  he  considers  all  men  as  on 
the  brink  of  the  grave.  Accordingly,  the  apostles  commend- 
ed themselves  to  every  ma/i's  conscience  in  the  sight  of 
God.  They  awakened  men  to  view  themselves  in  that  point 
of  light  wherein  their  conscience  commonly  sets  them  at  the 
hour  of  death. 

We  have  naturally  an  awful  concern  mixed  with  some  anx- 
iety about  the  condition  of  a  criminal  whom  we  see  led  forth 
to  execution.  And  one  reason  is,  the  voice  of  society  war- 
rants us  to  hold  him  for  an  unrighteous  person.  The  gospel 
leads  every  one  whom  it  awakens,  to  view  himself  in  alight 
no  less  awful.  It  draws  him  aside  from  the  eye  of  society, 
and  places  him  under  the  eye  of  God  ;  so  that  he  dare  not 
lay  his  hand  to  his  heart,  and  say  of  any  dying  criminal,  I 
am  not  as  this  man. 

Certain  instruments  of  destruction  have,  not  improperly, 
been  called  the  last  reason  of  kinq-s :  but  that  death  which  is 


LET.   IV.]  THEUON  AND    ASPASIO.  183 

common  to  all  men,  15  such  an  argument  of  Divine  judgment, 
as  has  hitherto  mocked  all  the  presumptuous  reasonings  of 
men.  Wherever  the  force  of  this  argument  is  well  observed, 
no  solid  ground  of  comfort  will  be  found,  but  that  afforded 
by  the  gospel.  For  what  notions,  founded  on  the  course  of 
nature,  can  support  a  man  when  nature  itself  is  dissolving  ? 
No  scheme  but  the  gospel  can  show  us  any  fixed  point  on 
the  other  side  of  the  grave.  Yet  nothing  else  can  be  expect- 
ed, but  that  men  will  always  continue  to  reason  against  fact 
while  society  lives,  and  the  course  of  nature  proceeds  along 
with  it.  For  though  all  individuals  are  successively  confuted 
most  effectually  ;  yet  their  conviction,  being  private,  and  often 
reserved,  can  have  no  extensive  or  lasting  effect  on  the  public. 
Now,  though  the  Scripture  asserts  and  enforces  all  that 
the  conscience  of  man  can  call  reason,  though  it  demonstrates 
all  our  original  natural  notions ;  yet  almost  every  little  ene- 
my of  the  gospel  no  sooner  lifts  his  pen  against  it,  than  he 
introduces  himself^  by  declaiming,  with  great  parade,  on  the 
sacred  rights  of  reason,  and  the  great  danger  of  invali- 
dating our  natural  notions.  The  truth  is,  such  writers  are 
afraid,  lest  the  light  of  the  gospel  should  too  clearly  evince 
and  manifest  right  reason,  in  opposition  to  the  fondly  received 
counterfeits  of  it.  They  are  afraid,  lest  the  light  of  nature  should 
be  increased  and  strengthened  with  such  additional  splendour, 
as  to  discover  too  plainly  the  corruption  of  nature.  There- 
fore, as  impostors  abound  most  in  professions  of  fidelity  and 
x-eracity,  so  these  men  are  the  foremost  to  assert  the  rights 
of  reason  and  nature.  None  so  proud  of  the  term  of  medicine 
as  quacks,  none  more  forward  in  expressing  concern  for  the 
health  of  mankind  than  they. 

No  man  will  be  reconciled  to  the  gospel  till  once  his  at- 
tention be  awakened  to  hearken  to  reason  ;  till  the  voice  of 
reason  prevail  in  his  thoughts;  till  his  natural  notions  be  so 
ratified  in  his  mind,  as  to  make  him  see  the  vanity  of  all  his 
artificial  or  invented  ones.  Therefore,  care  is  taken  by  many 
to  dress  up  these  last  with  all  the  arts  of  eloquence,  in  order 
to  divert  the  attention  of  men  aside  from  the  gospel.  And  it 
is  easy  for  them  to  give  out  for  certain  maxims  the  most  fool- 
ish and  groundless  presumptions  with  great  assurance,  and 
confident  hopes  of  success.  For  having  the  corruption  of  na- 
ture on  their  side,  they  know,  that  any  false  glare,  any  ignis 
fatuus  is  sufficient  to  decoy  men  along  with  the  current  of 
that  corruption. 

A  very  ordinary  attention  to  this  sort  of  writers  will  show 
us,  that  they  declaim  about  nature  and  reason  with  no  less 


184  LETTERS  ON  [LKT.  IV- 

ambiguity,  no  less  absurdity,  than  the  popular  preachers  do 
about  faith  and  mystery  ;  yet,  the  fashionable  mob  is  ready  to 
nod,  wink,  and  smile  applause  at  every  ingenious  period  of 
the  former,  even  as  the  populace  gape  and  stare  in  reverent 
admiration  of  the  latter.  But  let  the  popular  preachers 
enjoy  themselves,  in  crying,  in  their  own  way.  Faith  and 
Mystery,  Hence  yc 'profane  ;  and  let  the  gentlemen  of  fashion 
divert  themselves  with  the  rhapsodies  about  the  sacred  rights 
of  reason  glorying  over  the  superstitious  vulgar;  let  them 
continue  to  cry  upon  the  matter,  "  Great  is  the  image  which 
fell  down  from  Lucifer,  and  which  all  the  rational  world 
worshipeth:"  Christians  may  content  themselves  with 
adopting  the  old  saying,  "  Great  is  the  truth,  and  it  shall  pre- 
vail ;  or  rather  in  hearing  their  own  leaders,  the  apostles, 
declaring,  "All  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as 
the  flower  of  the  grass :  the  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower 
thereof  falleth  away:  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for 
ever.  And  this  is  the  word  which  by  the  gospel  is  preached 
unto  you." 

ON    SPIRIT. 

As  I  have  hitherto  spoken  but  sparingly  on  the  invisible 
energy  by  which  men  are  conducted  in  their  ignorance  and 
hatred,  or  knowledge  and  love  of  the  Christian  truth,  I  am 
willing  to  spend  some  time  in  consulting  the  Scripture  on 
this  head ;  for  I  would  not  choose  to  rank  with  those  who 
unsettle  two  points  where  they  fix  one. 

It  may  suffice,  by  way  of  introduction,  to  say  that  it  is  the 
part  of  bad  influence,  to  obscure,  to  confound,  to  break  the 
order,  connection,  and  subordination  of  man's  natural  notions, 
to  decoy  him  into  disloyahy,  and  then  leave  him  exposed  a 
defenceless  prey  to  the  necessary  consequence  thereof;  or,  in 
two  words,  to  deceive  and  to  destroy.  It  is  the  part  of  good 
influence,  which  ever  proceeds  from  the  fountain  of  all  good- 
ness, to  replace  and  ascertain  man's  natural  notions,  and  to 
furnish  him  with  new  ones,  when  destitute  of  any  that  can 
give  him  comfort ;  or  in  some,  to  enlighten  and  to  save,  to 
restore  man  to  truth  and  happiness.  For  however  strongly 
some  reasoners  have  maintained,  that  all  that  is  true  is  also 
good,  it  will  require  but  a  short  survey  of  one's  own  heart 
to  convince  him,  that  he  never  loves  truth,  nor  inclines  to  ad- 
mit it,  when  it  presents  its  dark  side  towards  his  own  self 

There  is  a  certain  great  genius  or  spirit  often  made  men- 
tion of  in  Scripture,  whose  history  is   coeval   with   that  of 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  185 

man,  tind  whom  I  would  choose  rather  to  describe  by  the  lea  d 
ing  line  of  his  character,  than  by  any  of  those  names  which 
have  become  familiar  terms  of  reproach  ;  I  mean  that  spirit, 
who  being  originally  of  the  first  order  of  created  beings,  fell 
from  his  high  station,  with  many  under  his  conduct,  by  for- 
getting his  natural  state  of  dependence. 

It  does  not  appear  that  he  fell  by  any  such  proud  disposi- 
tion as  has  been  generally  held  odious  among  mankind,  or 
by  acting  unsuitably  to  what  wise  men  in  all  ages  have 
accounted  good  sense  and  greatness  of  mind.  The  clearest 
account  we  have  of  his  fall  is  given  us,  by  one  who  well 
knew  his  history,  in  these  notable  words,  John  viii,  45, 
(Ef  Tn  n'Kridcia  ovx  hiKci',)  He  stood  not  in  the  truth.  I  think  I 
need  not  take  time  to  show,  that  the  truth  so  largely  contest- 
ed in  this  chapter  was,  that  the  man  Jesus  w^as  the  beloved 
Son  of  God,  in  the  sense  which  the  Jews  accounted  blasphe- 
my. But  we  may  take  some  notice  of  the  occasion  on  which 
the  mention  of  this  spirit  is  introduced. 

In  opposition  to  the  truth,  and  the  real  freedom  in  the 
family  of  God  preached  along  with  it,  the  Jews  insisted  on  a 
peculiar  relation  to  God,  as  his  children,  by  their  father 
Abraham.  But  they  did  not  consider  that  even  this  boasted 
privilege  was  foimded  in  their  fleshly  relation  to  Christ,  that 
seed  promised  to  Abraham,  who  is  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus 
gives  them  to  understand,  that  while  they  hated  this  truth, 
whatever  relation  to  God  they  gloried  in,  they  could  be  no 
otherwise  in  his  family  than  as  Ishmael  the  servant,  the  son 
of  the  bondwoman,  was  in  Abraham's  house,  who  was  cast 
out  for  persecuting  Isaac  the  son  and  heir ;  and  that  the  true 
freedom  in  the  house  of  God,  as  his  children,  in  distinction 
from  bondmen,  comes  only  by  himself  the  true  Son  of  God. 
He  shows  them  at  large,  how  vain  a  thing  it  was  to  glory  in 
having  Abraham  for  their  father,  while  they  did  not  the 
works  of  Abraham,  who  rejoiced  to  see  his  day  afar  off^  but 
the  works  of  another  father,  who  stood  not  in  the  truth,  but 
opposed  it  by  all  his  craft  and  power. 

It  is  evident,  then,  from  this  passage,  that  the  great  cha- 
racteristic of  this  angelic  chief,  is  opposition  to  the  sacred 
truth  from  first  to  last,  ever  since  his  early  apostacy  from  it. 
And  he  is  the  father  and  prompter  of  all  the  opposers  of  this 
truth  to  the  end  of  the  world.  For  the  truth  opposed  by  him 
is  the  same  that  Abraham  believed,  and  rejoiced  in;  the 
same  that  the  Jews  disbelieved,  and  hated ;  and  so  showed 
themselves  to  be  not  the  genuine  sons  of  Abraham,  but  a 
16* 


18$  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

spurious  race,  more  properly  to  be  ranked  under  another 
father. 

Seeing,  then,  this  chief  is  distinguished  from  the  angels 
who  stood,  by  his  not  abiding  or  standing  in  the  truth,  we 
are  plainly  given  to  understand,  that  this  truth  was  made 
known  to  him,  and  some  way  acknowledged  by  him  before 
he  fell ;  so  that  he  fell  by  apostacy  from  it.  Yet  we  cannot 
say  that  the  perseverance  of  those  who  stood,  was  owing  to 
any  difference  or  excellency  in  their  nature,  but  to  their 
being  chosen  of  sovereign  grace  to  be  servants  in  the  king- 
dom of  the  Son  of  God,  and,  therefore,  they  are  called  the 
elect  angels. 

We  do  not  find  any  occasion  more  proper  for  its  being 
made  known  to  the  angels,  that  the  Son  of  God  was  to  be 
united  to  his  creatures  in  man,  and  become  Lord  of  the  crea- 
tion in  the  human  nature,  than  the  formation  of  man,  which 
is  introduced  with  a  very  peculiar  solemnity.  And  what 
may  give  some  countenance  to  this  is,  that  the  same  tenor  of 
expression  used  by  the  Deity  at  the  making  of  man,  is  repeat- 
ed by  his  inspired  prophet  in  the  8th  psalm,  in  describing  the 
universal  dominion  of  the  Son  of  God,  under  the  title  of  the 
Son  of  man :  for  this  psalm  is  in  the  New  Testament  ex- 
pressly applied  to  Jesus  Christ. 

All  the  angels  are  represented  as  unanimously  praising  God, 
when  he  began  to  form  the  earth,  Job,  xxxviii,  4.  7,  Where 
least  thou  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth? — when 
the  mornhig  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy.  As  they  were  witnesses  to  the  whole  pro- 
gress of  the  Divine  work  in  framing  the  world,  their  atten- 
tion must  have  been  in  an  especial  manner  drawn  to  the 
grand  conclusion  thereof  in  the  making  of  man,  which  was 
ushered  in  with  these  words.  And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in 
our  image,  after  our  likeness.  Here  was  a  proper  occasion 
for  their  being  given  to  know,  that  the  Divine  glory  was  fully 
to  be  manifested  in  the  human  nature,  by  the  Son  of  Go^d 
becoming  a  man.  We  cannot  date  the  intimation  of  this 
truth  to  them  much  later,  for  apostacy  from  it  took  place 
among  them  before  the  fnll  of  man. 

In  illustration  of  what  has  been  said,  it  may  be  observed, 
that  the  Apostles,  Peter  and  Jude,  compare  the  corruption  of 
Christianity  by  its  teachers,  to  the  fall  of  the  angels.  Jude, 
moreover,  calls  to  mind  the  apostacy  of  the  Israelites,  who  fell 
jn  the  wilderness,  as  a  similar  case  to  both  these.  And  de- 
cribing  the  sin  of  the  angels  who  fell,  he  says,  they  kept  not 


LET.   IV.]  TIIERON   AND   ASPASIO.  187 

their  beginning*  but  left  their  own  habitation.]  And  thus 
they  are  distinguished  from  the  angels  who  continued  standing 
in  the  truth,  worshiping  the  Son  of  man  as  their  Lord,  and 
ministering  to  his  redeemed  church,  wherein  they  are  atten- 
tive to  learn  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  and  so  keep  their 
beginning,  and  their  proper  habitation.  On  this  account  these 
last  are  called  the  holy  angels ;  for,  according  to  the  New- 
Testament,  there  is  no  holiness  but  what  consists  in  the  love 
of  this  truth.  So  Paul  says,  Eph.  iv,  24,  The  new  man  is 
created  after  God,  in  righteousness,  and  holiness  of  the  truth. 
On  the  same  account.  Matt,  xiii,  41,  the  Son  of  man  calls 
them  his  angels,  and  2  Thess.  I,  7,  they  are  called  the  ajigels 
of  his  ])ower. 

Now,  if  we  inquire  what  principle  influenced  the  apostacy 
of  that  eminent  angel  whose  pernicious  way  was  followed 
by  many,  the  Apostle  Paul  plainly  intimates  to  us,  that  it  was 
owing  to  his  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  1  Tim.  iii,  6.  For  he 
would  not  have  a  novice  chosen  to  be  a  bishop,  lest  he  should, 
like  him,  be  lifted  up  with  pride,  through  a  conceit  of  superior 
knowledge  and  abilities,  and  so  fall  into  the  same  condemna- 
tion with  him.  And  in  his  epistle  to  Titus,  he  makes  this  the 
first  article  in  the  blameless  character,  which  he  prescribes  for 
a  bishop,  (■<;?  avOaSn,)  not  self-sufficient ;  as  well  knoAving  the 
sad  consequences  that  would  ensue  in  the  Christian  profession 
t^irough  neglect  of  this  warning. 

When  we  observe  on  what  foundations  the  pride  of  mortals 
is  elevated,  we  may  well  allow,  that  this  great  angel  could 
produce  as  forcible  arguments  in  support  of  his,  as  any  rea- 
soner  since ;  for  the  dignity  of  the  angelic  nature  was  not 


*  The  beginning  (loy'')  '*'  '^  ^'^''^  frequently  given  to  the  Son  of  God 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  may  refer  to  Prov.  viii,  22;  where  wisdom 
.says,  The  Lord  possessed  me  the  begin7iing  his  xcny,  before  his  tcorksfrom 
thence.  We  find  him  also  called  (iod'.s  way  by  Moses,  Exod.  xxxiii,  13; 
to  which  Jasu-i  rcfers%  John  xiv,  4.  0;  saying,  /  am  the  way.  When  we 
think  of  God  as  purposing  to  manifest  all  his  glory  to  his  creatures,  in 
his  Son,  and  so  creating  and  fashioning  all  things  in  that  view,  we  may 
well  consider  the  Son  as  the  beginning,  and  as  his  way  to  all  his  works. 

t  What  was  their  native  liabitation  which  they  left,  by  departing  froni 
the  truth,  we  may  learii  from  such  passages  as  these  :  Dent,  xxxiii,  27, 
The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  lleb.  habitation.  Psal.  xc,  1,  Lord  thou 
hast  been  our  dwelling-pJace.  Psal.  xci,  I,  He  that  dwellcth  in  the  secret 
place  of  the  Most  High,  shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  Ac. 
And  the  Apostle  John,  speaking  of  the  love  of  that  truth  which  is  the 
foundation  of  mutual  atiectiou  among  Christians,  even  that  same  truth 
from  which  these  angels  departed,  says,  1  John  vi,  16,  He  that  dwellcth  in 
love,  dwellcth  in  God. 


188  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

liable  to  those  objections  which  now  form  at  least  a  heavy 
contrast  to  that  of  man.  When  once  through  high  thoughts 
of  his  own  dignity,  his  attention  was  drawn  aside  from  the 
early  intimation  of  those  things  which  the  angels  who  stood 
desire  to  look  into,  and  which  were  to  be  unfolded  in  the  ful- 
ness of  time,  or  when  proud  disaffection  to  it  began  thus  to 
work  in  his  mind,  he  would  be  at  no  loss  to  find  objections 
against  it.  For  he  soon  after  gave  proofs  of  his  dexterity 
this  way,  in  his  undermining  and  falsifying  the  revelation 
which  God  gave  to  man. 

The  shout  of  triumph  over  the  king  of  Babylon,  who  was 
at  the  head  of  the  idolatrous  defection  from  the  true  God, 
which  is  the  type  of  the  antichristian  apostacy,  recorded  in 
Isaiah,  chap,  xiv,  has,  not  without  reason,  been  thought  to 
point  at  the  first  apostate,  who  has  therefore  been  called 
Lucifer,  v,  12 — 14.  How  art  thou  fallen  from  heaven,  O 
JLucifer,  son  of  the  morning  ! — For  thou  hast  said  in  thine 
heart,  I  icill  ascend  into  heaven,  Itcill  exalt  my  throne  above 
the  stars  of  God. — /  ivill  be  like  the  Most  High.* 

This  angel,  finding  himself  a  glorious  chief,  of  the  high 
order  of  creatures,  and  far  excelling  man,  could  not  bear  the 
thought  that  the  Son  of  God,  condescending  to  unite  himself 
with  the  creatures,  should  not  take  on  him  the  nature  of 
angels,  but  become  a  man,  having  his  delights  with  the  sons 
of  men ;  and  in  the  human  nature  rule  over  angels,  as  ser- 
vants to  him  and  his  brethren  of  mankind.  He  looked  on 
this  as  a  breach  of  the  order  of  nature,  and  contrary  to  the  fit- 
ness of  things.  He  could  not  think  that  the  likeness  of  God 
could  be  so  advantageously  shown  in  the  earthly  or  human,  as 
the  heavenly  and  angelic  nature,  w^hich  he  considered  as  ap- 
proaching by  far  the  nearest  to  the  Divine.  So  he  concluded 
as  his  reasoning  prompted  him,  lunll  be  like  the  Most  High. 
Hence  in  the  New  Testament  he  gets  the  name  of  a  liar,  and 
is  given  out  as  the  author  of  every  false  representation  of  the 
Deity.  So  in  the  above  mentioned  passage,  John  viii,  44» 
Jesus  speaks  of  him  thus  :  He  abode  noi  in  the  truth  because 


*  The  following  passages,  likewise  describe  his  diief  agents  or  repre- 
sentatives. Dan^  vii,  25,  He  shall  speak  words  against  the  Most  High. 
Synimachus  has  it  thus,  He  shall  speak  word!s  as  the  Most  High.  2  Thess. 
ii,  4,  Who  opposeth  and  cxalteth  himself  against  alt  that  is  called  God,  or 
that  is  rrorsiiiped  :  so  that  he  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  shoicivg 
himself  that  he  is  God.  Rev.  xiii,  6,  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy 
against  God.  All  these  forms  of  expression  are  of  the  same  import. 
For,  in  creatures,  to  speak  and  affect  to  be  as  God,  is  in  reality  to  speak 
and  act  against  the  true  God. 


LET.  IV.]  THERON    AND   ASPASIO.  ISO 

there  is  no  truth  in  him.  Whcji  he  spcakeih  a,  lie,  he  sj;ralr(h 
(r-c  rwj/  i6tiov)  of  his  owu,  his  owii  selfisli  rcascninos:  for  he  is  a 
liar  and  the  father  of  it.  Jesus  shows  himself  to  be  the  reverse 
of  this,  when  he  says  to  the  Jews,  v,  42,  If  God  were  your 
Father,  ye  icould  love  me:  for  I  'proceeded  forth,  and  came 
from  God;  neither  came  1  of  myself  but  he  sent  me.  And 
when  the}'-  charge  him  as  influenced  by  an  apostate  angel,  he 
first  refuses  the  charge ;  then  adds,  on  the  contrary,  ver.  49, 
50,  But  I  honour  my  Father — And  I  seek  not  mine  oion 
glory.  We  may  take  this  occasion  to  observe,  by  the  way, 
that  the  fullest  view  of  God  was  given  in  the  lowest  state  "of 
dependence,  Jesus  humbled  to  the  death  of  the  cross. 

As  to  what  has  been  hinted  above,  we  cannot  imagine, 
that  the  first  reasoner  against  revelation  came  short  of  what 
has  been  lately  suggested  by  some  Christian  teachers  of  note, 
who,  not  being  satisfied  that  it  became  God  to  be  united  to 
human  nature,  properly  so  called,  so  as  to  become  a  man,  in  all 
things  like  unto  his  brethren,  sin  only  excepted,  have  imagin- 
ed, for  him  whom  they  call  Jesus,  a  soul  created  before  the 
world,  or  rather  derived  from  the  Deity,  in  some  peculiar 
manner,  so  as  to  be  distinguished  for  its  natural  excellency 
from  every  other  creature. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  angels  who  stood,  remembering  the 
infinite  eminency  of  the  Deity  above  all  creatures,  made  no 
account  of  the  difference  betwixt  the  angelic  and  the  human 
nature,  so  as  to  draw  thence  the  least  objection  against  his 
wisdom  and  goodness,  in  choosing  the  latter  to  be  the  centre 
of  union  with  his  creatures.  They  did  not  think  it  became 
them  to  reason  from  any  order  they  observed  in  nature, 
against  the  declared  will  of  the  author  thereof  So  they  were 
far  from  finding  fault  with  the  good  pleasure  which  he  pur- 
posed in  himself  that  i?i  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  time, 
he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and,  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him. 
The  more  fully  evinced,  the  more  clearly  ascertained,  they 
saw  their  dependence,  they  found  their  happiness  the  more 
enlarged,  as  they  saw  the  glory  of  the  Divine  character  more 
fully  opened  to  their  view.  And  the  lower  their  service  was, 
the  closer  connection  they  had  with  the  Son  of  the  Highest, 
and  the  nearer  access  to  his  presence.  For  as  the  Deity  can- 
not, like  creatures,  rise  by  improvement,  his  unparalleled  emi- 
nence can  only  be  seen,  by  observing  how  low  he  condescends. 

Now,  if  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the  fruits  of  the  first  apostacy, 
we  find  the  pride,  by  which  it  began,  working  by  deceit  and 
malice,  and  plainly  showing  itself  in  falsehood  and  murder. 


190  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IT. 

For  the  leader  in  this  apostacy,  envying"  man  on  account  of 
that  truth  which  he  considered  as  partial  in  his  favour,  and 
debasing  to  himself,  went  about  to  deceive  him,  and  sought  his 
death,  if  by  any  means  he  might  overthrow  the  truth,  the  prime 
object  of  his  disgust.  He  knew  the  law  of  dependence  given 
to  man,  he  knew  the  penalty  annexed  in  case  of  transgression; 
so  he  sought  to  throw  man  utterly  out  of  favour  with  God, 
and  thus  disappoint  the  Divine  purpose  concerning  him. 
And  the  way  he  took  to  accomplish  his  design,  was  by  blow- 
ing up  the  pride  of  man,  and  teaching  him  to  reason  against 
Divine  revelation,  and  renounce  his  dependence  as  he  him- 
self had  done. 

He  takes  his  advantage  of  the  woman,  informs  the  body 
of  the  serpent,  eats  of  the  interdicted  fruit  in  her  presence ; 
the  mute,  grovelling  animal  immediately  commences  a 
speaker  with  human  voice,  yea,  a  reasoner  even  about  the 
highest  matters,  the  concerns  of  man  with  God.  This  much 
the  sacred  history  plainly  imports,  Avhile  it  shows  us  the  wo- 
man was  influenced  no  less  by  what  she  saw,  or  the  fresh 
discoveries  made  to  her  eyes,  than  by  what  she  heard.  Hav- 
ing thus,  with  signs  of  great  satisfaction,  eaten  of  the  fruit, 
and  in  all  appearance,  made  a  clear  discovery  of  its  natural 
virtues  to  communicate  both  pleasure  and  knowledge,  by  a 
notable  experiment  performed  in  her  presence,  he  decoyed 
her  attention,  and  drew  her  in  to  become  a  reasoner  on  natu- 
ral causes  and  effects,  as  to  the  article  of  her  dependence  on 
God.  At  making  the  experiment,  he  broke  forth  into  a  ques- 
tion of  no  less  triumph  and  defiance,  than  a  modern  reasoner 
would  show  in  inventing  anew  argument  against  revelation, 
Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the  gar- 
den ?  Is  it  possible,  that  he  who  animates  all  nature,  and 
whose  bounty  is  unlimited  to  every  other  creature,  hath  forbid 
you,  the  natural  sovereigns  of  the  earth,  the  use  of  any  tree 
of  the  garden,  not  to  say  the  most  beneficial  one  among  them, 
to  which,  moreover,  the  meanest  reptile  you  see  may  have 
free  access,  and  by  virtue  thereof,  raise  himself  far  above  his 
natural  condition,  even  to   the  highest  degree  of  perfection  ? 

The  woman  is  caught.     She   commences  a  reasoner ; 

and  by  her  first  reply,  her  pride  appears  to  be  piqued,  We 
may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden,  our  liberty  is 
far  from  being  stinted  as  to  the  use  of  any  one  of  them  ;*  but 


*  The  LXX.  version,  Alex.  MS.,  gives  the  amwer  of  Eve  thus:  Wc 
way  cat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden  ;  but,  &c.,  making  her  repeat  in  her 
answer  all  the  words  on  which  the  question  turned.     To  this,  I  had  no 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASFASIO.  191 

of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  the 
author  of  nature  knowing  what  pernicious  qualities  may  be 
naturally  contained  in  it  better  than  we,  and  having  a  pecu- 
liar care  for  our  health  and  safety,  hath  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat 
of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die. 

Thus  have  we  seen  some  Christian  writers  reasoning, 
who,  not  being  satisfied  to  what  purpose  man  should  be 
taught  absolute  dependence  on  the  declared  will  of  God,  have 
thought  it  encumbent  upon  them  to  find  out  such  reasons  for 
the  Divine  will,  as  might  render  the  compliance  of  man  with 
the  duty  required  highly  rational  and  beneficial  to  him,  even 
supposing  there  were  no  God  to  command  him,  or  no  explicit 
declaration  made  of  his  will.  Such  are  all  those  called 
Christian  Deists.  But  man  was  not  made  to  live  by  bread 
alone,  but  by  every  word  proceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of 
God.     He  was  made  to  be  a  disciple  to  his  Creator. 

To  return :  it  is  evident  the  woman's  attention  was  now 
drawn  off  from  the  sense  of  her  duty  and  submission,  to 
consider  the  reasons  of  her  Creator's  conduct  towards  her  • 
and  as  her  sense  of  freedom  and  dignity  was  now  inflamed, 
she  behooved  to  be  averse  to  the  notion  of  arbitrary  authority, 
circumscribing  her  actions ;  which  aversion  is  the  proper 
spring  of  Atheism.  This  appears  by  her  suppressing  the 
name  he  had  given  to  the  tree  in  question.  The  tree  of  know- 
ledge of  good  a?id  evil.  She  chooses  rather  to  design  it  by 
its  situation  in  the  garden  than  by  the  name  which  served  to 
distinguish  it,  as  a  test  of  obedience  to  hor  and  her  husband  ; 
the  name  which,  in  connection  with  the  threatening,  plainly 
imported,  that  they  should  live  or  die,  be  happy  or  miserable, 
according  as  they  were  fouiid  to  be  good  or  evil  on  the  trial. 
Agreeably  to  this,  we  find  she  loses  the  impression  of  the 
Divine  threatening:  and,  instead  of  considering  life  and  death 
as  hinged  on  the  Divine  word,  intimates  an  apprehension, 
that  death  might  be  caused  by  virtue  of  some  natural  quality 
of  the  fruit.  So,  instead  of  repeating  the  words  of  God» 
Thou  shall  surely  die,  she  uses  another  form  of  expression, 


regrird,  \v!ieu  I  wrote  what  is  above;  for  I  had  not  then  ol)served  it. 
Th.3  paraphrase  I  have,  given  is,  1  apprehend,  sufficiently  counfenanced 
by  our  counnon  Engh.sh  version  from  the  Hebrew.  So  soon  as  the 
woman's  mind  became  averse  to  the  notion  of  arbitrary  law  or  restraint, 
she  would  easily  find  a  pretext  for  entertaining  the  largest  sense  of  libertv, 
from  the  universal  expression  kvkrv  trek,  used  first  in  the  general  uii- 
limited  grant  of  food,  before  any  mention  is  made  of  the  planting  of  the 
garden,  Gen.  i,  21);  and  repeated  in  the  special  grant  of  the  garden, 
which  was  given  along  with  the  prohibition,  Gen.  ii.  16, 


192  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

Lest  ye  die.  This  apprehension  further  appears,  from  her 
adding  to  the  Divine  prohibition,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  it,  these 
words,  Neither  shall  ye  touch  it.*  Even  as  the  Jews,  neg- 
lecting the  true  import  of  the  Divine  law,  and  not  having  a 
due  sense  of  the  authority  of  the  Lawgiver,  began  to  dread 
more  harm  from  what  touched,  affected,  or  entered  into 
them  from  without,  than  from  the  threatened  consequence 
of  the  iniquitous  thoughts  of  their  hearts;  or,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  the  power  of  the  Divine  word,  vindicating  its  vi- 
olated authority :  and,  accordingly,  turning  aside  from  the 
great  scope  of  the  Divine  precepts,  employed  their  chief  care 
and  attention  in  framing  and  observing  additional  laws  o( 
their  own,  to  guard  them  against  bodily  defilement,  and  its  im- 
agined eflects, 

The  tempter  pursues  his  advantage,  and  concludes,  it  was 
far  from  being  certain,  that  death  would  be  the  consequence 
of  their  eating  ;  that  there  was  no  necessary  connection  betwixt 
this  action  and  death;  Ye  shall  not  surely  die.  And  as  he 
had  already  set  the  woman's  mind  to  work,  to  give  reasons 
why  her  Creator  spoke  as  he  did,  he  proceeds  to  support  the 
conclusion  he  had  now  drawn  by  other  words  of  her  Crea- 
tor,! namely,  the  title  of  the  tree,  which  she  had  suppressed, 
to  which  he  gives  a  gloss  very  suitable  to  his  main  design. 
"  You  are  greatly  mistaken,  if  you  imagine  God  distinguished 
this  tree,  as  knowing  any  pernicious  qualities  to  be  in  it ; 
For  God  doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  ye  shall 
be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil.  Ye  shall  be  endowed 
with  the  most  enlarged  sentiments,  and  become  highly  en- 
lightened reasoners,  having  such  a  thorough  insight  into  the 
nature  of  things,  as  shall  enable  you,  on  all  occasions,  clearly 


*  This  ill-placed,  and  ill-founded  dread  of  the  power  of  nature,  is  the 
principle  and  spring  of  all  superstition ;  and  by  taking  a  full  view,  both 
of  the  case  of  our  first  parents  and  that  of  the  Jews,  we  may  see,  that  su- 
perstition is  very  nearly  allied  to  Atheism,  or  that  the  transition  is  readily 
made  from  the  one  to  the  other.  For  he,  who,  by  reasonings,  is  led  to 
entertain  undue  apprehensions  or  fears  of  evil  from  the  power  of  nature, 
may  easily  be  induced,  by  much  the  like  reasonings,  to  entertain  undue 
expectations  of  happiness  from  that  same  power,  till,  at  last,  he  be  tempt- 
ed to  renounce  his  dependence  on  that  God,  who  is  the  supreme  object 
of  fear  and  of  love,  and  to  whom  all  the  powers  of  nature  stand  in  per- 
fect .subordination,  or  with  whom  no  power  can  justly  stand  in  the  least 
competition. 

t  Thus  he  continues  to  undermine  revelation,  by  opposing  one  part 
of  it  to  another,  that  he  may  make  the  whole  doubt-f^ul,  so  as  to  become 
the  subject  of  free  debate,  and  to  have  no  fixed  sense  beyond  what  rnay 
be  suggested  fr<nn  the  course  of  nature,  that  so  men  may  determine 
hemselves  as  if  there  were  no  revelation. 


LET.    IV. J  TIIERON   AND   ASI'ASIO.  193 

to  perceive  what  is  fit  and  what  is  unfit,  and  to  measure  exactly 
the  just  proportions  of  good  and  evil,  in  every  thing  or  action. 
So  that,  having  no  more  occasion  to  be  overawed  or  con- 
trolled in  your  actions  by  unaccountable  fears  suggested  by 
your  consciences,  or  yet  arising  from  any  voice  or  positive  pre- 
cept whatsoever,  ye  shall  clearly  understand  how  God  ought 
to  deal  with  you,  what  in  reason  it  becomes  him  to  expect  from 
you,  and  how  he  ought  to  treat  you,  as  to  happiness  or  misery. 
Yea,  ye  shall  become  fully  qualified  to  conduct  yourselves  in  all 
respects  as  to  virtue  and  happiness,  even  supposing  there  were 
no  God  to  command  you,  or  take  cognizance  of  your  actions. 

"  You  have,  therefore,  no  occasion  to  be  afraid  of  any  words 
you  have  heard  mentioning  death,  as  the  consequence  of  your 
eating  this  fruit;  for  if  any  change  of  your  condition  was  in- 
sinuated by  them,  you  have  no  reason  to  conclude  that  it 
must  be  a  transition  to  misery  ;  on  the  contrary,  from  the  ex- 
periment now  made  before  you,  ye  have  the  most  rational 
ground  to  presume,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  your  na- 
tural condition  shall  be  changed  greatly  to  the  better."* 

Now,  if  we  observe  how  Moses  collects  the  motives  which 
influenced  the  woman's  compliance,  we  will  find  an  illustra- 
tion of  the  means  used  to  deceive  her.  And  when  the  wo- 
man saw  that  the  tree  teas  good  for  food,  and  that  it  was 
pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to  make  one 
wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof  and  did  eat.  Moses,  rela- 
ting the  planting  of  the  garden,  says,  chap,  ii,  9,  And  out  of 
the  ground  made  the  Lord  God  to  grow,  every  tree  that  is 
pleasant  to  the  sight,  and  good  for  food.  The  woman  then 
saw,  by  what  the  serpent  showed  her,  in  laying  open  the 
fruit  of  this  tree,  and  eating  it  before  her,  that  it  was  within, 
as  well  as  without,  no  way  inferior  to  that  of  the  rest  of  the 
trees  of  the  garden,  being  no  loss  pleasant  to  the  sight  and 
good  for  food,  than  any  of  them.  Thus  was  removed  all 
ground  for  any  suspicion  suggested  by  her  reasoniDg,  that 

*'  It  might  have  l)eon  added  lo  the  paraplira^^e  given  above,  "  and  even 
supposing  tiiat  by  dc^/tli  should  be  meant  the  di.«soIution  of  your  bodie^i, 
it  doe.s  by  no  nieau.s  follow,  that  you  will  thereby  become  miserable  ;  but 
on  the  contrary:  for  .so  soon  a-^your  intellectual  faculties  are  disengaged 
from  the  tenements  of  clay,  with  which  they  are  at  present  encumbered, 
they  will  be,  then,  much  more  at  liberty  to  penetrate  beyond  the  pre.sent 
veil  of  appearances,  into  the  most  secret  recesses  of  nature,  and  discern 
its  most  internal  qualities.  And  thus,  ye  .shall  attain  the  full  maturity 
of  your  nature;  for  nature  delights  in  progress."  If  all  these  presump- 
tions were  not  then  hinted  or  insinuated  by  the  first  reasoner  agaia^t 
revelation,  we  may  freely  .say.  that  they  have  been  sufficiently  insisted 
upon  sincehy  his  disciples  and  children. 
\7 


194  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

the  use  of  it  might  be  forbidden  her  on  account  of  some  bad 
quality  contained  in  it.  She  saw,  moreover,  by  the  deceitful 
experiment  made  in  her  presence,  that  it  excelled  the  rest  of 
the  trees,  in  this  respect,  that  it  was  desirable  to  make  one 
wise :  and  concluding  it  highly  probable,  that  on  this  ac- 
count, it  got  the  name  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  suitably  to  the  new  gloss  given  it  by  the  serpent,  which 
appeared  no  less  plausible  and  ingenious  than  it  was  agreea- 
ble to  her  pride ;  she  accordingly  yielded  to  the  temptation, 
ate  of  the  fruit  with  pleasure,  and  recommended  it  to  her 
husband ;  who  also  complied,  being  prevailed  upon  by  the 
additional  motive  of  his  affection  to  her. 

Here  Ave  may  take  a  short  view  of  the  corruption  of  hu- 
man nature  at  the  fountain  whence  it  flowed.  It  is  no  new 
observation,  nor  disagreeable  to  daily  experience,  that,  accord- 
ino"  to  the  character  which  men  conceive  of  God,  so  they 
study  to  form  their  own.  Here  we  may  consider  man's 
original  impression,  or  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  as  corrupted 
in  a  threefold  view.  For,  1.  When  man  gave  ear  to  the 
tempter,  representing  God  as  speaking  deceitfully  to  him, 
then  deceit  took  place  in  his  heart.  The  tempter,  by  artful 
words  and  actions,  pointed  forth  the  Divine  words  as  deceit- 
ful, ambiguous,  and  capable  of  another  sense,  than,  at  first 
hearing,  they  plainly  imported  to  the  conscience  of  man.  By 
perverting  the  word  of  God  he  changed  it  into  a  lie.  And 
the  mind  of  man,  being  hereby  tainted,  lost  the  principle  of 
truth  by  calling  in  question  the  Divine  veracity.  Thus 
man  became  deceitful,  in  conceiving  of  God  as  dealing  de- 
ceitfully with  him.  And  the  deceit  of  his  heart  has  ever 
since  continued  to  be  more  especially  subtle,  as  to  the  matter 
of  his  dependence  on  God.  2.  The  tempter  having  repre- 
sented God  as  Avithholding  from  man  something  he  knew 
would  be  more  beneficial  to  him,  than  anything  he  had 
bestowed  upon  him,  the  mind  of  man  became  evil  and  malig- 
nant by  giving  place  to  reflections  against  the  Divine  good- 
ness. And  ever  since,  the  disaffection  of  his  heart  has  been 
more  especially  pointed  against  every  manifestation  of  the 
Divine  goodness,  that  served  to  evince  and  ascertain  his  real 
condition  with  respect  to  his  Creator.  3.  It  must  be  advert- 
ed to,  that  the  tempter  presents  to  man  nature  aside  from  God. 
He  leads  his  thoughts  aside  from  the  impression  of  power 
conveyed  by  the  Divine  word,  to  aUend  to  the  power  of  na- 
ture in  the  forbidden  tree;  and,  by  stimulating  his  natural 
sense  of  freedom,  as  being  a  creature  made  for  dominion,  he 
persuades  him  that,  by  a  proper  exercise  thereof,  he  might 


LET.    IV.]  THEKON  AND  ASPASIO.  195 

avail  himself  of  the  powers  of  nature  to  advance  to  the 
highest  degTee  of  perfection,  and  so  have  no  reason  to  stand 
in  awe  of  any  superior,  as  having  no  more  occasion  to  de- 
pend on  him  for  wisdom,  or  consequently  for  happiness. 
Thus  atheistical  pride  took  place  in  the  heart  of  man,  and  he 
came  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  by  seeking  his  own,  inde- 
pendently of  him.  Here  is  the  origin  of  all  idolatry,  and 
here  is  the  true  source  of  the  atheism  of  the  philosophers, 
who  acknowledge  no  God  but  nature. 

Thus,  the  first  apostate  drew  his  own  image  on  man,  who 
now  became  like  him  in  deceit,  enmity,  and  pride,  as  much 
as  he  could  be  without  the  knowledge  of  that  truth  from 
which  his  tempter  had  apostatized.  And  thus  man  became 
very  fit  to  resist  and  oppose  that  truth  when  it  should  be 
revealed  to  him. 

Thus  he  who  stood  not  in  the  truth,  sought  to  overthrow 
it  by  devising  the  ruin  of  men.  But  however  averse  he  was 
to  the  thought,  that  the  image  of  God  should  be  shown  in  man ; 
yet  as  he  knew  not  the  fulness  of  the  Divine  character  that 
was  to  be  manifested,  so  neither  did  he  know^  the  means  by 
which  the  manifestation  or  image  of  it  was  to  be  drawn  forth, 
and  arise  to  view.  In  the  height  of  his  crafty  disaffection,  he 
served  only  as  a  tool  to  promote  the  grand  design  he  thought 
to  thwart.  His  opposition  to  the  truth  made  way  for  the 
revelation  of  it  among  depraved  mankind  to  his  own  condem- 
nation, even  as  all  his  attempts  against  it  since  that  time  have 
still  served  to  make  it  shine  the  clearer. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  Deity  to  express  his  image  fully 
in  man.  While  man  remained  upright,  the  majesty  of  God, 
as  the  Creator  and  upholder  of  the  universe,  was  fitly  ex- 
pressed in  his  submission  to  the  law  of  dependence  delivered 
to  him  by  the  Divine  voice.  But  that  the  fulness  of  God  might 
be  made  manifest,  it  was  necessary  that  men  should  depend 
on  him  for  more  than  was  yet  to  be  seen  in  the  universe. — 
Till  sin  and  misery  took  place  among  mankind,  as  there  was 
no  room  for  God's  opposition  to  sin  to  appear  among  them, 
so  neither  could  his  boundless  mercy  and  all-sufficiency  to 
save  be  manifested.  And  as  there  was  no  room  for  showin.g 
spotless  virtue,  or  unreserved  submission  to  the  Divine  will, 
tried  in  the  greatest  extremity  of  distress,  so  neither  could 
the  greatness  of  the  Divine  delight  in  such  virtue  be  dis- 
played ;  nor  yet  his  wisdom  and  power  in  bringing  the  great- 
est good  out  of  the  greatest  evil.  And  it  must  be  added, 
that  unless  human  nature  had  been  dignified,  in  being  assu- 
med by  a  Divine  person,  there  had  not  been  room  enough  for 


196  LETTERS  OX  [LET.  IV. 

displaying  among  mankind  these  divine  perfections  in  their 
proper  or  infinite  extent.  But,  not  to  open  too  many  views 
at  once,  it  may  suffice  to  say. 

As  God  was  now  to  appear,  not  only  as  the  avenger  of  sin, 
but  also  as  the  deliverer  from  sin  and  misery,  it  was  his  design, 
that  all  the  objects  of  his  favour  among  mankind  should  de- 
pend on  him  for  a  righteousnnss  of  his  providing,  even  as 
the  first  man  was  taught  to  depend  on  him  for  his  earthly 
life,  and  all  its  enjoyments.  In  the  free  gift  of  righteous- 
ness, all  the  divine  perfections  are  readily  brought  to  view. 
And  the  Apostle  Peter,  summing  up  at  once  the  glory  of  the 
restored  creation,  says, ivherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 

In  the  first  intimation  of  the  saving  truth  to  fallen  man,  is 
hinted  a  distinction  of  mankind  into  two  classes,  under  the 
designations  of  the  seed  of  the  womari,  and  the  seed  of  the  ser- 
pent :  and  this  hint  is  sufiiciently  illustrated  to  us  in  other 
places  of  Scripture.  Thence  it  appears,  that  in  the  former 
class  are  comprehended  all  with  whom  the  Son  of  God  took 
part  in  flesh  and  blood,  and  who,  partaking  of  his  Spirit,  are 
joined  to  him  as  members  of  one  body  to  the  head  :  so,  ac- 
cording to  the  apostolic  style,  make  in  him  07ie  neic  man. — 
And  of  every  member  of  this  body  it  may  be  said,  He  thai 
is  joined  to  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit.  This  account  of  the  seed 
of  the  ivoman  is  supported  by  the  like  account  given  by  the 
Apostle  Paul  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  Gal.  iv.  The  spirit 
by  which  this  one  body  is  animated,  is  distinguished  from 
every  other,  under  the  titles  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Truth:  and,  according  to  the 
Scripture,  this  Spirit  is  God.  In  the  latter  class  are  compre- 
hended all  who  have  the  same  temper  of  mind  which  begem 
in  the  first  opposer  of  the  truth,  who  borrows  his  name  from 
the  serpent,  which  he  made  use  of  in  deceiving  man.  The 
Scripture  declares  all  such  to  be  under  his  influence,  and  to 
be  conducted  by  him,  in  their  opposition  to  the  truth :  so  he 
is  called  the  Spirit  that  nnio  worketh  in  the  children  {mrtidciaf,) 
of  unbelief  ox  disobedience.  And  the  union  of  all  who  are 
influenced  by  him,  is  to  be  seen  in  nothing  else  but  their  enmity 
to  the  saving  truth. 

This  spirit  obtains  in  Scripture  various  designations,  de- 
scribing the  nature  and  extent  of  his  influence.  He  is  called 
the  Prince  and  the  God  of  this  world,  also  the  Spirit  of  the 
World,  and  the  Spirit  of  Error  ;  he  and  his  associates  are 
called  the  Rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  icorld  ;  and  his  domin- 
ion is  called  the  power  of  darkness,  in  opposition  to  the  light  of 
the  Divine  glory  which  shines  in  the  truth.     So  all  who  are 


LET.   IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPaSIO.  197 

rescued  from  his  power  by  the  evidence  of  the  truth  are  said 
to  be  turned  from  darkness  to  light.  He  is,  moreover,  de- 
signed by  two  Hebrew  names,  signifying  the  adversary  and 
the  destroyer ;  and  by  two  Greek  ones,  signifying  the  accu- 
ser or  calumniator,  and  the  evil  or  ivicked  one  ;  all  pointing 
forth  the  opposition  conducted  by  him  in  the  world  to  the  Di- 
vine goodness  manifested  in  the  truth,  and  to  all  those  in 
whom  the  truth  takes  place.  So  we  find  the  Apostle  John 
ranks  all  mankind  under  two  heads.  For,  speaking  of  him- 
self, and  all  who  held  the  same  truth  with  him,  he  says,  "  We 
know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  (ev  tu  Trorr/ow 
KiiTu.)  lieth  in  the  wicked  one." 

If,  casting  our  eye  on  the  whole  history  of  this  spirit,  and 
considering  the  nature  of  his  agency,  and  the  various  names 
given  him,  we  should  incline  to  distinguish  him  by  one  capi- 
tal designation,  methinks,  with  grea't  propriety,  we  might 
call  him  the  Spirit  of  self-dependence ;  which  is  only  short- 
ening the  style  used  in  describing  his  emblem  in  the  watery 
abyss:  "  He  beholdeth  all  high  things ;  he  is  a  king  over  all 
the  children  of  pride  ;"*  and  corresponds  with  the  forecited  de- 
scription given  of  him  by  Paul,  namely,  "  the  Spirit  that  now 
worketh  in  the  children  of  infidelity  or  disloyalty." 

Here  I  willingly  adopt  the  words  quoted  at  the  foot  of  the 
156th  page  of  vol.  1,  of  Meditations,  &lc.  from  a  treatise 
called,  Christianity,  the  Great  Orna7nent  of  Human  Life. 
"  Now,  this  self-dependence  may  be  ranked  among  the  most 
dangerous  of  the  infernal  politics, because  the  fatal  poison  lies 
deep,  and  too  often  undiscerned." 

Self-dependence  being  the  leading  principle  with  the  prime 
enemy  of  the  truth,  and  the  true  spring  of  all  his  opposition 
to  it,  the  way  he  multiplies  his  offspring  is  by  propagating 
his  own  leading  sentiment ;  and  wherever  that  sentiment  ap- 
pears, there  his  power  is  manifest  ;  even  as  wherever  the 
sacred  truth  is  believed,  there  acts  the  Spirit  of  the  truth, 
whose  agency  is  inseparable  from  it:  and  wherever  the  faith 
of  it  shows  itself  working  by  love,  there  the  power  of  that  Holy 
Spirit  is  manifest.  And,  in  general  it  may  be  said  of  every 
doctrine  about  the  concerns  of  man  with  God,  that  a  certain 
spirit  or  temper  of  mind  goes  along  with  it;  so  the  Scripture, 
awakening  the  attention  of  Christians  to  the  examination  of 
doctrines,  uses  this  form  of  expression,  "Beloved,  believe  not 
every  spirit ;  but  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  are  of  God." 

*  Compare  Job  xli,  34,  with  Is.  xxvii,  1. 


198  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

Here  it  must  be  remembered,  that  since  human  nature  was 
corrupted  at  the  fountain,  by  the  parents  of  mankind  throw- 
ing off  their  dependence,  their  posterity  derive  from  them 
only  nature  corrupted,  or  affected  with  the  bias  originally  re- 
ceived from  the  adversary,  who  has  therefore  still  more  ready 
access  to  them  than  he  had  to  the  first  pair.  He  has  no 
occasion  to  renew  the  task  of  disaffecting  loyal  subjects  from 
their  sovereign,  but  only  to  cherish  and  strengthen  the  roots 
of  that  disaffection  which  he  planted  in  human  nature  at  the 
first ;  unless  we  turn  our  eyes  to  those  in  whose  minds  the 
spirit  of  the  truth  hath  grafted  a  new  principle  of  loyalty. 
There  indeed  he  labours  with  all  his  might,  but  in  vain,  to 
overthrow  it ;  though  he  is  successful  against  many,  who  by 
their  profession  seem  to  have  it. 

All  mankind,  then,  are  naturally  influenced  and  conducted 
by  the  spirit  of  self-dependence,  not  excepting  those  who  are 
chosen  to  be  heirs  of  salvation.  For  when  these  last  are 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  they  are  said  to  be 
turned  from  the  jJoicer  of  the  adversary  unto  God.  Hence 
is  that  opposition  stated  betwixt  God  and  the  world,  and  so 
often  insisted  on  in  the  New  Testament.  Hence  we  learn 
the  difference  betwixt  the  taste  of  men  and  that  of  God. — 
When  Peter  showed  a  temper  of  mind  averse  to  the  humili- 
ation of  Jesus  unto  death,  whence  the  brightest  discovery  of 
the  Divine  glory  was  to  arise,  Jesus  rebuked  him,  as  influ- 
enced by  the  adversary :  "  For  [said  he]  thou  savourest  not 
the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men."  If  Pe- 
ter received  such  a  rebuke  after  he  had  been  blessed  by  his 
Lord,  and  his  faith  approved,  as  proceeding  from  Divine  teach- 
ing, we  may  surely  with  all  freedom  ascribe  to  its  proper 
source  every  sentiment  opposing  the  spirit  of  the  truth,  though 
uttered  by  men  of  the  greatest  reputation  for  piety.  The  first 
Christians  were  so  well  instructed  as  to  the  opposition  be- 
twixt God  and  the  world,  that  it  was  considered  as  a  first  prin- 
ciple among  them.  And  it  was  thought  enough  to  cool  their 
minds  to  all  that  is  coveted  and  admired  in  the  latter,  to  re- 
mind them  of  that  opposition,  by  telling  them.  It  is  not  of  the 
Father,  bvt  is  of  the  icorld. 

Nor  are  we  to  imagine,  that  by  {hetcorld,  in  this  oppositions, 
is  chiefly  to  be  understood  the  more  infamous  part  of  it,  whose 
practices  were  always  condemned  by  what  is  called  the  fuhlic 
in  every  nation.  No  ;  the  fact  stands  quite  otherwise  :  for 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles 'always  met  with  the  warmest 
opposition,  from  even  the  most  reputable  and  venerable  part 
of  the  public  ;  and  if  they  were  sometimes  insulted  by  leu-d 
fellows  of  the  baser  sort,  we  find  it  was  at  the  instigation  of 


LET.  IV. 1  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  •    199 

the  devout;  for  men  of  very  difierent  characters  are  easily 
united  in  their  opposition  to  the  truth ;  and  as  it  fared  witli 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles,  so  will  it  always  fare  with  their 
doctrine  to  the  end  of  the  world,  when  it  is  maintained  in  its 
ancient  simplicity.  On  this  occasion  we  may  say,  that  any 
writer  in  behalf  of  the  ancient  gospel,  would  act  a  very  absurd 
part  in  appealing  to  the  public  for  their  approbation.  If  he 
would  appeal  to  any  of  his  fellow-creatures,  it  must  be  to  the 
consciences  of  those  who  know  and  love  the  truth,  and  that 
too  with  a  reserve  of  recourse  to  the  decision  of  the  apostles, 
by  whose  writings  it  must  be  tried  how  far  any  man  knows 
and  loves  the  truth. 

The  opposition  we  have  been  speaking  of,  has  appeared, 
more  or  less  in  every  age  of  the  world,  from  the  first  to  the 
present,  agreeably  to  the  early  intimation  given  of  it  in  the 
address  of  the  Deity  to  the  serpent  in  the  presence  of  the 
woman  ;  "  I  will  put  enmity  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed." 
In  the  same  view  we  must  understand  these  words  of  Jesus, 
"  I  am  come  to  set  iire  on  the  earth,  and  Avhat  will  I  if  it  be 
already  kindled  1  Suppose,  ye,  that  I  am  come  to  give  peace 
on  earth  ?  I  tell  you,  nay,  but  rather  division.  From  hence- 
forth, there  shall  be  five  in  one  house  divided,  three  against 
two,  and  two  against  three.  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  va- 
riance against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother: 
and  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household." 
The  bright  discovery  of  the  Divine  goodness  made  by  Jesus 
Christ,  awakened  the  spirit  of  opposition  to  show  itself  more 
clearly,  and  burn  with  a  more  violent  flame  than  ever  it  had 
done  before.  In  the  foregoing  ages,  as  u'e  find  all  along 
traces  of  the  truth,  so  do  we  also  of  the  opposition  ;  and  no 
less  is  intimated  in  these  words  of  Jesus,  "  And  what  will 
I  if  it  be  already  kindled?" 

The  Scripture  assures  us,  it  was  by  the  influence  of  the 
prime  opposer  of  the  truth,  that  the  first  son  of  Adam  slew 
his  younger  brother,  a  believer  and  lover  of  it.  From  the 
history  o( Seih,  contrasted  with  that  of  Cain  and  his  family, 
from  the  life  and  prophecy  of  Enoch,  and  the  state  of  man- 
kind in  the  days  of  Noah,  a  preacher  of  rigliteousness,  we 
learn  how  the  opposition  showed  itself  until  the  flood.  From 
wdiat  happened  in  the  family  of  Noah  after  the  flood:  from 
the  building  of  the  tower  in  the  plain  of  Shinar,  and  the  pro- 
gress of  idolatry  when  Abraham  was  called  ;  from  the  history 
of  that  and  the  following  patriarchs,  and  even  from  what 
happened  in  their  own  families  ;  and,  lastly,  from  the  oppres- 


200  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

sion  suffered  by  their  descendants  in  Egypt,  we  see  how  the 
opposition  appeared  until  the  erection  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 
Henceforward,  till  the  coming  of  Christ,  we  have  a  twofold 
view  of  the  opposition,  as  it  showed  itself  not  only  in  the  ha- 
tred of  the  neighbouring  nations  to  that  kingdom,  but  also 
among  the  peculiar  people  themselves. 

The  Scripture  takes  express  notice  of  the  agency  of  the 
adversary  against  the  chosen  people,  of  whom  Christ  was  to 
come,  both  before  and  after  the  Babylonish  captivity.  More- 
over, if  we  think  of  the  various  sorts  of  idolatry,  through  at- 
tachment to  which  the  neighbouring  nations  hated  the  wor- 
shipers of  the  one  true  God,  and  by  which  many  of  the 
Israelites  themselves  were  corrupted  ;  we  find  the  Scriptures 
affirming,  that  all  the  worship  paid  to  idols,  or  strange  gods, 
under  whatever  names,  is  at  bottom  paid  to  the  chief  apostate 
and  his  associates.  We  find  also,  that  amidst  the  peculiar 
people  was  maintained  all  along  a  disaffection  to  the  pro- 
phetic word,  which  testified  among  them  beforehand  the  suf- 
ferings of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  And 
this  disaffection  held  pace  with  their  neglect  of  the  Divine 
law.  With  this,  Stephen  boldly  charges  them  in  their  pre- 
sence, Avhen  he  concludes  his  summary  view  of  their  history 
in  these  words :  Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart 
a7id  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost :  as  your  fathers 
did,  so  do  ye.  Which  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers 
persecuted  ?  and  they  have  slain  them  ichich  shoiced  before  of 
the  coviing  of  the  just  One,  of  ivhoin  ye  have  noic  been  the 
betrayers  and  murderers :  icho  have  received  the  law  by  the 
disposition  of  angels,  and  have  not  kept  it. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  how  the  opposition  was  con- 
ducted when  the  Son  of  God  himself  appeared  in  the  world, 
who  could  with  great  propriety  say,  I  am  the  truth. 
Now  the  controversy  was  pushed  to  the  uttermost  and  brought 
to  a  final  decision.  Now  the  characters  on  both  sides  are 
clearly  marked,  and  it  is  fully  miade  manifest  what  is  and 
what  is  not  of  God.  But  as  we  took  some  view  of  this 
subject  in  the  foregoing  letter,  our  reflections  now  may  be 
the  more  general. 

After  the  voice  from  heaven,  directed  to  Jesus  at  his  baptism, 
had  solemnly  declared  who  he  was,  he  is  conducted  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  truth  into  the  wilderness,  there  to  be  exposed  in 
the  most  destitute  circumstances  to  the  assaults  of  the  adversary 
in  person,  for  the  trial  of  his  faith,  that  so,  learning  by  expe- 
rience the  full  character  and  abilities  of  his  rival,  he  mioht 


LET.  IV.]  THF.KON    AND   ASl'ASIO.  201 

be  prepared  to  withstand  the  various  opposition  lie  was  altii- 
wardto  meet  with  from  all  sorts  of  men  under  his  influence. 

The  adversary  having  craftily  taken  occasion  from  the 
necessitous  condition  of  Jesus,  to  tempt  him  to  call  in  question 
the  truth  he  had  heard  from  heaven,  by  putting  it  to  the  proof 
for'his  present  relief,  next  presents  himself  to  him  in  the  height 
of  his  grandeur,  as  the  god  of  this  world,  showing  him  all  the 
kingdoms  and  the  glory  thereof,  as  who  should  say,  J.  will  he 
like  iht  Most  High  ;  and  offering  all  to  him,  on  condition  of 
receiving  homage  from  him  for  the  same.  With  these  two 
attempts  he  joins  a  third,  in  showing  his  power  to  destroy,  by 
forcibly  carrying  away  Jesus  to  a  place  of  such  danger,  as 
seemed  to  leave  room  for  no  alternative,  but  that  of  being 
slain,  by  falling  headlong,  or,  which  was  far  worse,  of  letting 
go  the  truth. 

Thus  he  attacked  Jesus  with  all  the  address  that  his  craft, 
his  haughtiness  and  malice,  seconded  by  his  great  power, 
Gould  furnish  him  with.  But  he  was  utterly  foiled  in  his  en- 
terprise, finding  no  part  in  him  wdiere  he  could  make  the  least 
impression.  And  the  whole  temptation  issued  in  a  notable 
confirmation  of  the  truth  he  sought  to  undermine ;  for  Jesus 
obtained  a  new  proof  of  his  being  the  Son  of  God,  and  hav- 
ing pleased  him  on  the  trial  of  his  faith,  in  the  miraculous 
preservation  of  his  life  by  the  ministry  of  angels  sent  from 
his  Father.  And  thus  he  received  a  pledge  beforehand  of  his 
resurrection  from  that  death,  wherein  all  his  sufferings  were 
to  issue.  Here,  then,  we  have  a  short  plan  of  the  following 
history  of  Jesus,  represented  to  us  in  a  private  scene  at  his 
entrance  on  his  public  ministry. 

Here  also  we  have  a  summary  view  of  all  the  motives  by 
which  the  adversary  works  upon  the  minds  of  men,  to  hinder 
them  from  admitting,  or  to  cause  them  to  forsake  the  truth,  which 
may  be  distinguished  under  three  heads.  He  tempts  them, 
(1.)  by  considerations  touching  the  necessary  supplies  of  life : 
(2.)  by  the  fittest  allurements  for  inflaming  their  pride  and 
gratifying  all  their  passions  ;  and  (3.)  by  the  fear  of  temporal 
calamities  and  death,  the  issue  of  them  all.  The  great  cor- 
ruption of  Christianity,  which  by  his  agency  took  place  after 
the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  still  continues,  is  a  standing  proof 
how  successful  he  has  been  in  urging  these  motives. 

Hence  we  see  how  Jesus  honoured  his  Father,  by  a  steady 
attachment  to  his  word,  and  submission  to  his  will,  and  that 
in  circumstances  very  different  from  those  wherein  the  first 
man  was  placed.  Jesus,  in  the  most  straitened  condition, 
held  fast  the  grand  point  which  the  first  man  let  go  in  the 


^0.2  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV, 

height  of  prosperity,  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  bul  by 
every  icordichich  proceedelh  out  of  the  mouth  of  God.  All 
appearances  concurred  with  the  Divine  word,  to  assure  the 
first  pair  that  they  were  the  favourites  of  God  ;  yet  they  let 
go  the  word  which  imported,  that  they  held  all  their  happi-' 
ness  of  him,  by  giving  ear  to  a  false  interpreter  of  it.  Jesus 
held  fast  the  Divine  word,  declaring  him  to  be  the  beloved 
Son  of  God,  when  all  appearances  were  strong  against  it. 
They,  surrounded  with  abundance,  and  secure  from  fear,  prov- 
ed disloyal  for  one  morsel  of  meat  He,  destitute  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  continued  faithful  and  submissive  :  nor  could  his 
constancy  be  shaken  by  the  most  imminent  danger.  They, 
enjoying  large  dominion,  at  the  rate  of  acknowledging  no 
superior  but  their  Creator,  were  tempted,  with  imaginary  pros- 
pects of  being  greater,  to  grudge  at  the  test  of  their  submission 
to  him,  as  an  mireasonable  restraint  of  their  liberty.  But  he 
could  by  no  means  be  prevailed  upon  to  entertain  a  thought 
of  exchanging  the  extremely  low  and  straitened  condition 
wherein  his  Father  had  placed  him,  for  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them,  at  the  rateof  receiving  them 
from  the  hand  of  another,  or  paying  the  least  homage  to  him 
who  made  the  offer. 

On  this  occasion,  we  may  well  say,  how  greatly  was  the 
religion  of  Jesus  corrupted,  when  its  teachers,  with  the  multi- 
tudes following  them,  accepted  of  this  very  offer,  with  the 
condition  annexed  ;  when  the  Christian  nations  bowed  before 
the  throne  of  spiritual  pride,  erected  above  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world,  and  aggrandized  with  all  the  glory  of  them,  wor- 
shiping the  dragon,  which  gave  his  power  thereto.  For 
thereto,  we  are  told  he  gave  his  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great 
authority ;  so  made  good,  to  those  who  accepted  the  condition, 
the  offer  which  he  had  in  vain  proposed  to  Jesus.  This  wor- 
ship is  so  universal,  that  in  the  passage  I  have  been  referring 
to,  it  is  said  to  be  paid  by  all  ichose  names  are  not  ivritten  in 
the  slain  Lamb^s  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world*  Against  this  worship  in  the  following  chapter,  is 
denounced  an  awful  threatening,  which  ought  to  be  attentively 
considered  by  all  who  promote  reverence  for  secular  establish- 
ments of  religion,  Rev.  xiv,  9 — 12.     The  expression  is,  indeed, 


*  Thus  the  Apostle's  words,  in  Rev.  xiii,  8,  ought  to  be  read  and  un- 
derstood. For  it  would  require  great  straining,  in  criticism,  to  .show  us 
how  the  Lamb  could  be  said  to  be  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  tcorld  ; 
and,  besides,  such  criticism  would  ill  suit  with  the  simplicity  of  the  apos- 
tolic style. 


LET.   IV.]  THERON   AND  ASPA.SIO.  203 

somewhat  figurative,  yet  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  meaning  is 
very  dreadful.  And  to  remove  all  complaint  of  obscurity,  or 
excuse  for  ignorance,  the  twelth  verse  describes,  in  the  sim- 
plest and  plainest  words,  the  character  of  these  who  stand 
clear  of  the  evil  condemned  in  that  passage. 

The  temptation  which  Jesus  resisted,  having  led  back  our 
thoughts  to  that  by  which  the  first  man  was  ensnared,  we  may 
here  pause  a  little,  and  observe  how  the  discovery  of  the 
Deity  is  carried  forward  from  the  beginning,  that  so  we  have 
the  more  distinct  view  how  the  opposition  is  all  along  con- 
ducted. For  the  latter  always  follows  the  former,  like  a 
shadow,  and  serves  eventually  to  make  it  shine  the  brighter. 

The  most  awful  apprehension  we  have  of  the  Divine 
Majesty,  is  by  his  voice  in  speaking.  This  is  much  insisted 
on  throughout  the  Scriptures,  and  particularly  in  the  book  of 
Psalms,  in  Isaiah,  and  the  four  Evangelists.  And  Longinus, 
though  no  believer  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  quotes  Moses  for  an 
instance  of  the  sublime,  where  he  introduces  the  Deity  thus, 
A7id  God  said,  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  teas  light. 

That  Divine  person  who  is  called  the  Son  of  God,  acts  as 
the  speaker  of  the  words  of  God,  expressing  the  mind  of  the 
Father  unto  his  creatures  ;  so  his  name  by  way  of  distinction, 
is  said  to  be  the  word  of  God.  The  Apostle  John,  in  the 
beginning  of  his  gospel,  speaks  of  his  agency  in  the  making 
of  the  world,  under  the  title  of  the  Word,  who  in  the  be- 
ginning was  with  God,  and  was  God:  plainly  pointing  to 
his  part  in  the  threefold  agency  of  the  Deity  in  that  work, 
as  described  by  Moses.  And  God  said — And  God  made — 
And  God  saw  that  it  was  good.  Where  the  Father  is  re- 
presented, as  approving,  or  beholding  with  delio-ht  what  was 
done,  according  to  what  was  spoken.  Agreeably  to  this,  we 
find  the  same  person  who  is  called  the  Word,  under  the  title 
of  Wisdom,  saying,  I  was  daily  his  delight,  Prov.  viii,  30, 
plainly  referring  to  the  several  da3-s  wherein  the  world  was 
made.  The  words  immediately  following,  are.  Rejoicing  al- 
ways before  him,  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part  of  his  earth, 
and  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men.  While  he  was 
speaking  the  world  into  order,  he  had  always  in  view  the 
great  purpose  of  showing  his  delight  in  the  closest  connection 
with  sons  of  men,  by  the  revelation  of  the  Divine  mercy. 
Thus  we  have  a  noble  account  given  for  the  solemnity  with 
which  the  agency  of  the  Deity  is  represented,  in  the  work  of 
each  day. 

When  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  men, 


204  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

John  the  Baptist  spoke  of  him  thus,  John  iii,  34,  He  ivhom 
God  hath  sent,  speakelh  the  ivords  of  God  ;  for  God  girethn  ot 
the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him.  In  the  voice  which  came 
from  the  excellent  glory,  we  not  only  have  a  representation 
of  the  communication  of  the  Father's  mind  to  Jesus,  but  we 
also  see  him  confirmed,  and  authorized,  as  the  speaker  of  the 
Father's  mind;  for  the  voice  closes  with  these  words.  Hear 
ye  him.  In  Jesus  we  not  only  behold  the  Divine  will  ho- 
noured, by  the  most  perfect  submission  to  it,  under  the  greatest 
trials,  but  we  also  find  the  authority  thereof  exercised  in  the 
most  majestic  manner;  for  while  he  learned  obedience  by 
the  things  which  he  suffered,  he,  at  the  same  time,  spoke 
with  that  authority  and  power  which  is  peculiar  to  the 
Divine  Majesty.  He  spake,  a?id  it  was;  comma?ided,  and 
it  stood ;  healing  those  who  were  otherwise  incurable ; 
turning  the  storm  into  a  calm  :  raising  the  dead  ;  and  chang- 
ing the  hearts  of  men  by  a  word  of  his  mouth.  And,  hereby, 
he  gave  a  sure  pledge  of  the  veracity  and  power  of  that  say- 
ing, whose  effect  is  yet  to  come.  Heaven  and,  earth  shall  pass 
away,  but  my  word  shall  not  pass  away  ;  and  of  that  other, 
Behold  I  make  all  things  new. 

The  first  view^  we  have  of  the  majesty  of  the  Divine  word, 
is  in  commanding  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness;  in  giv- 
ing birth  to,  and  establishing  the  course  of  nature.  Man  was 
last  formed,  and  he  was  made  for  hearing  the  voice  of  God. 
He  was  so  made,  that  his  life  was  incomplete  till  he  heard 
that  voice ;  incomplete  we  may  say,  for  want  of  a  better  simili- 
tude, like  a  dial  before  the  sun  has  shined  upon  it.  He  w^as 
fitted,  as  the  wax  to  the  seal,  for  receiving  the  impression  of 
the  Divine  word.  He  was  erected,  as  a  living  conscious 
monument,  to  bear  for  an  inscription,  By  whom,  and.  how,  the 
world  was  made,  or  that  the  world  was  framed  by  the  word 
of  God.  His  conscience  was  framed  to  be  a  standing  recep- 
tacle for  the  power  and  majesty  of  that  voice,  by  which  all 
things  were  made,  and  by  which  they  are  upheld. 

The  adversary,  who  himself  fell  by  disaffection  to  the 
truth,  made  known  to  him  by  the  Divine  voice,  as  judging  it 
unsuitable  to  the  order  of  nature,  tempted  man  upon  the  word 
spoken  to  him  by  God,  and  not  on  what  he  naturally  knew 
without  revelation.  Man  had  a  natural  knowledge  of  God 
by  the  things  that  are  made,  and  a  sense  of  right  and  wrong 
in  his  conscience  without  revelation.  But  his  life  was  not 
framed  to  depend  wholly  thereupon  ;  nor  was  it  principally 
hinged  upon  his  conduct,  regulated  by  his  own  reasoning, 
while  his  reasoning  faculty  was  yet  unc.orrupted.     It  de- 


LET.   IV. ]  THERON   AND  ASl'ASIO.  205 

pcndecl  on  a  word  spoken  to  him  by  his  Creator.  It  was 
the  business  of  the  adversary,  then,  to  work  upon  his  sense 
and  natural  knowledge ;  and  to  turn  his  reasoning  against 
the  revelation  to  which  he  knew  his  life  depended,  even  as 
he  afterwards  sought,  though  in  vain,  to  do  with  Jesus. 

The  adversary  carries  on  the  whole  opposition  to  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  happiness  of  men,  in  order  to  do  it  the  more 
effectually  in  an  indirect  manner.  For  he  opposes  both 
these,  under  the  pretence  of  maintaining  and  promoting  them. 
Even  as  the  worship  he  seeks  for  himself  among  men,  is  also 
indirect ;  for  it  would  be  foolish  to  suppose,  that  he  should 
seek  to  be  worshiped  under  any  of  those  dishonourable  titles 
given  him  from  the  other  side  of  the  opposition,  or  under 
the  character  drawn  for  him  by  the  Spirit  of  the  truth.  Yet  he 
is  really  worshiped,  wherever  his  sentiments,  corrupting  reve- 
lation, are  received  and  admired. 

As  he  is  well  acquainted  with  human  nature,  he  makes 
his  address  chiefly  to  that  disposition  or  fitness,  wherewith 
man  was  originally  framed  for  hearing  God.  And  he  acts 
as  the  pretended  image  of  God,  or  the  pretended  speaker, 
ani  interpreter  of  his  mind.  As  he  is  not  acquainted  with 
the  will  of  God,  so  knows  not  how  to  oppose  it,  till  it  be  re- 
vealed ;  and  as  he  always  finds  the  greatest  advantage  against 
men,  in  practising  upon  some  divine  revelation  already  made 
to  them;  so  he  proceeds,  following  the  track  and  progress  of 
revelation,  imitating  and  counterfeiting,  or  disguising,  per- 
verting, and  adapting  it  to  his  own  purpose. 

Depraved  as  human  nature  now  is,  its  original  fitness  or 
disposition  for  receiving  revelation,  is  yet  to  be  seen  in  the 
great  corruption  of  that  disposition.  The  universal  propen- 
sity of  mankind,  in  all  ages,  and  in  all  nations,  eagerly  to 
imbibe,  and  tenaciously  to  retain,  some  pretended  revelation, 
has  been  taken  notice  of  by  writers  on  all  sides,  and  variously 
reasoned  upon  :  the  fact,  however,  is  acknowledged  by  all. — 
Yea,  those  who  openly  renounce  all  kinds  of  revelation,  (so- 
lacing themselves,  meanwhile,  with  fond  presumptions,  as  ill 
supported  as  any  kind  of  it,)  do  yet  freely  own,  that  it  is  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  that  even  the  wisest  of  men  can  disen- 
tangle themselves  from  religious  prejudices.  And  we  daily 
see,  that  the  most  profligate  felons,  when  they  come  to  show 
any  remorse  at  the  near  approach  of  death,  generally  express 
at  least  as  great  concern  for  their  having  neglected  or  pro- 
flmed  the  religious  rites  of  their  country,  as  for  any  other 
crime. 

18 


206  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV 

The  adversary,  then,  finds  his  g^reatest  advantage  and  suc- 
cess among  mankind,  by  acting  as  the  director  of  their  con- 
sciences, or  their  leader  in  religion.  He  has  the  firmest  hold 
of  them,  when  he  has  them  subject  to  him  in  their  devotion. 
And  thus  he  has  so  great  influence  over  men,  that  no  less 
than  the  power  which  attended  the  command  to  the  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,  and  the  command  to  Lazarus  to  come 
forth  from  his  grave,  even  the  same  power  which  attended 
the  apostolic  testimony  from  the  beginning,  and  is  inseparable 
from  it  to  the  end  of  the  world,  can  awaken,  or  rather  create, 
attention  in  them  to  take  in  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

Not  to  stay  in  considering  particularly  how  revelation  was 
corrupted  and  counterfeited  in  its  progress  from  the  fall  of 
man,  in  the  patriarchal  families  and  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel, 
till  the  public  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  exhibition  of 
false-deities,  sacrifices,  oracles,  priests,  prophets,  sanctuaries, 
and  symbols ;  we  may  now  take  some  general  notice  of  the 
opposition  made  to  Jesus,  which  issued  in  his  death. 

The  kingdom  of  the  Hebrew  being,  properly  speaking,  a 
theocracy,  it  was  the  same  thing  there  to  be  a  devout  man 
and  to  be  a  loyal  subject.  Their  laws,  their  government,  and 
forms  of  worship,  were  prescribed  by  the  Deity,  who  took 
cognizance  of  the  behaviour  of  the  rulers,  and  of  the  whole 
nation,  and  so  superintended  the  execution  of  his  own  laws. 
Their  history  abounds  with  various  manifest  interpositions 
of  the  Deity.  And  though  these  were  not  so  remarkable 
and  frequent  after  the  captivity  as  before,  yet  the  theocracy 
still  subsisted  tifl  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ;  which,  taking 
place  in  virtue  of  the  Divine  word  on  account  of  their  impiety 
or  disloyalty,  showed  at  once,  in  a  most  signal  manner,  that 
God  had  been  their  King,  and  that  they  were  now  abandon- 
ed by  him. 

This  people,  among  whom  the  power  of  the  Divine  word 
was  so  remarkably  manifest,  served  as  a  standing  memorial 
in  the  earth  of  that  power  by  which  all  things  are  made  and 
upheld :  and  to  show,  that  as  God  takes  cognizance  of  the 
actions  of  men,  so  he  will  at  last  give  judgment  according  to 
truth.  But  they  also  served  for  another  purpose,  no  less  mo- 
mentous. They  were  trustees  for  the  oracles  of  God,  con- 
taining the  promise  and  various  pledges  of  salvation  to  man- 
kind by  the  Messiah,  with  such  previous  d(  scriptions  of  his 
person,  character,  and  work,  as  that,  when  he  should  appear, 
the  fulfilment  of  the  grand  promise  might  shine  forth  with 
the  clearest  and  most  unexceptionable  evidence.     Among  this 


LET.    IV]  TIIERON   AND  ASPASIO.  207 

people,  if  any  where,  sincere  national  piety  might  have  been 
expected.  All  advantages  were  on  the  side  thereof.  Public 
and  private  happiness,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  earthly  bless- 
ings, was  expressly  connected  with  it.  But  so  depraved  did 
human  nature  appear,  even  when  placed  in  the  most  advan- 
tageous circumstances,  that  the  most  eminent  friends  of  God 
were  the  most  remarkable  sufferers,  and  the  chief  objects  of 
the  public  hatred  among  them  long  before  the  Saviour  appear- 
ed in  the  vvorld.  If  the  fire  of  opposition  was  thus  already 
kindled,  how  must  it  flame  forth  when  now  the  fulness  of 
time  was  come,  that  the  Divine  righteousness  should  be  re- 
vealed among  men  by  the  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
Son  of  God  ,2 

He  appeared  at  the  time  when  it  was  presumed  that  the 
national  righteousness  was  carried  to  as  high  a  pitch  as  could 
well  be  hoped  for,  till  the  grand  complete  reformation  ex- 
pected from  the  Messiah  should  take  place.  They  were 
now  thoroughly  weaned  from  the  gross  idolatry  of  the  neigh- 
bouring nations;  they  were  zealous  for  the  worship  of  one 
God?  they  were  ardent  in  their  wishes  and  hopes  for  the  sud- 
den appearance  of  the  Messiah,  and  as  it  were  prepared  to 
meet  him.  The  expectation  was  general.  They  were  full 
of  the  fond  thoughts  (like  those  which  possess  the  minds  of 
modern  Christians  concerning  some  future  calling  of  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles)  that  the  time  was  at  hand,  when  pietjr 
and  integrity,  worldly  peace  and  prosperity,  issuing  forth  from 
their  capital  city,  should  overspread  the  earth.  We  may 
have  some  idea,  then,  of  what  the  Jews  were  at  that  time,  if 
we  can  represent  to  ourselves  a  Christian  nation  firmly  per- 
suaded of  the  near  approach,  and  in  eager  expectation  of 
what  we  hear  fondly  called  in  sermons,  and  other  writings. 
The  thrice-hajqnj  period,  or  The  best  of  eras. 

Yet  in  these  very  circumstances  was  the  whole  revelation 
made  to  the  Jews,  with  their  whole  national  constitution  form- 
ed upon  it,  so  corrupted,  as  to  be  pointed  by  them  in  the 
strongest  opposition  to  him  who  was  the  great  end  and  scope 
of  it,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  the  King  of  Israel. 

Nor  was  this  occasioned  by  any  new  disorder  or  insurrec- 
tion, making  a  sudden  breach  of  the  constitution  :  no ;  the 
venerable,  the  prime  deputies  in  the  theocracy,  watchful  over 
the  public  tranquillity,  took  the  most  cautious  method  of  ap- 
])rehending  Jesus  without  tumult,  solemnly  condemned  him, 
and  stirred  up  the  people  to  ask  his  death  of  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor. The  whole  matter  was  conducted  according  to  the 
coolest  sentiments  of  the  nation,  sentiments  wherein  they  af- 


208  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

terward  uniformly  and  steadily  persisted,  and  such  as  still 
prevail  in  every  nation  called  Christian. 

The  pride  of  their  national  righteousness  made  them  de- 
spise the  divine ;  yea,  the  very  zeal  they  had  for  their  law, 
made  them  oppose  the  end  of  it.  Their  table  or  altar,  which 
was  instituted  for  their  feasting  with  God  on  his  sacrifices, 
became  a  snare  beibre  them  ;  and  their  happy  national  con- 
stitution, which  should  have  been  for  their  welfare,  a  trap  to 
entangle  them.  In  comparison  with  any  other  people,  they 
had  the  advantage  much  every  way  ;  yet  every  advantageous 
circumstance  in  their  favour  they  themselves  industriously 
made  use  of  to  their  own  utter  ruin.  But,  not  to  muhiply  re- 
flections where  they  occur  so  readily,  what  should  hinder  us 
Gentiles,  who  have  now  got  the  advantage  on  our  side,  to  lay 
our  hand  to  our  heart,  and  frankly  return  the  acknowledge- 
ment once  made  in  the  name  of  the  Jews  by  one  of  the  fore- 
most of  them? W/ia4   then?  are  ice  better  than  they  ? — 

No,  in  no  wise. 

At  the  time  we  have  been  speaking  of,  as  the  opposition 
showed  itself  in  a  new  and  clearer  manner  than  formerly, 
so  a  new  style  or  form  of  expression  was  introduced,  to  dis- 
tinguish the  opposite  sides.  Till  now,  it  had  been  most  openly 
foreshowed  or  prefigured  in  the  stated  separation  betwixt  the 
favourite  nation  and  all  others.  That  nation  was  distinguish- 
ed by  the  names  of  Israel,  Judah,  the  holy  people,  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  people  of  God,  &c.,  from  all  others,  called  in  the 
general  the  nations,  or  the  Heathen,  and  the  families  or  tribes 
who  called  not  on  the  name  of  the  true  God.  But  now,  as 
no  distinction  was  to  be  established  betwixt  any  one  earthly 
nation  or  body  politic  and  others,  and  as  the  separation  be- 
twixt the  two  seeds,  intimated  by  the  Deity  at  the  fall  of  man, 
was  to  be  clearly  manifested  by  the  appearance  of  him  who 
Avas  primarily  pointed  at  by  the  designation  of  the  seed  of  the 
vjovian ;  as  this  separation,  I  say,  was  to  take  place  in  the 
midst  of  the  favourite  nation,  it  is  evident  that  new  names  of 
di.stinction  became  necessary. 

Jews,  from  Judah,  was  now  the  most  common  national  name: 
yet  it  would  seem,  that  Jesus,  in  his  doctrine,  declineseven  to 
make  use  of  this  name,  choosing  rather  to  say,  instead  there- 
of, the  ivorld.  I  do  not  find  that  he  ever  used  it  in  speaking 
to  his  disciples,  or  even  to  any  of  his  own  nation,  except  once 
in  his  answer  to  the  high  priest,  after  having  first  made  men- 
tion of  the  ivorld:  John  xviii,  20,  /  spake  openly  to  the 
WORLD  ;  /  ever  taught  in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the  temple. 


LET.   IV.]  THEUON   AND    ASPASIO.  209 

whither  the  Jews  always  resort,  and  in  secret  have  I  said  no- 
thing. Nor  do  I  find  it  mentioned  by  him  to  others  on  more 
than  two  occasions.  1st,  When,  in  answer  to  the  woman 
of  Samaria,  he  says,  John  iv,  22. — Salvation  is  of  the 
Jews  ;  and  2dly,  To  the  Roman  governor,  John  xviii,  36, 
— If  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then  would  my  ser- 
vants jight,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews.  He 
openly  opposed  their  claim  to  the  title  of  Abraham^ s  seed, 
while  he  acknowledges  Zaccheus,  the  publican,  for  a  son  of 
Abraham.  He  sometimes  mentions  the  name  of  Israel,  yet 
we  may  find  at  the  same  time  some  hint  of  the  restriction  of 
his  meaning.  As,  to  take  one  instance  for  all,  when  Jesus 
said  of  Nathaniel  coming  to  him,  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed, 
in  ichom  is  7w  guile.  The  difference  betwixt  Israel  after 
the  flesh  and  Israel  after  the  spirit  began  now  to  be  explain- 
ed.    Agreeably  to  this,  Paul,  opposing  the  boasting  of  the 

Jevvs,  says,  Rom,  ii,  17,  Behold  thou  art  called  a  Jew  ; 

and  V.  28,  29, — He  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outioo/rdly,  &c. 
Now  also  the  diffeience  of  clean  and  unclean,  which  had  so 
long  subsisted  betwixt  the.  Jews  and  other  nations,  began  to 
turn  on  its  true  hinge,  when  Jesus  said  to  those  who  believed 
on  him,  Noiv  ye  o.re  clean  through  the  ivord  ivhich  I  have 
spoken  unto  you. 

All  other  distinctions  began  now  to  give  place  to  the  capi- 
tal one  established  betwixt  the  world  and  Jesus  with  his  disci- 
ples, to  whom  he  said,  //'  the  world  hale  you,  ye  knoiv  that  it 
hated  me  (ttpo)tov  vjiMv)  the  first  of  you.  If  ye  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  his  oivn ;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the 
world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hateth  you.  When  Jesus  was  proved  to  be  the  Christ 
by  his  resurrection,  and  openly  confessed  as  such  by  his  disci- 
ples; and  when  they  came  to  be  joined  by  the  uncircumcised 
at  Antioch  in  the  same  confession,  so  could  no  more  be  distin- 
guished as  any  particular  class  of  Jews,  they  were  called 
Christians.  This  name,  though  it  seems  to  have  been  given 
to  them  first  by  the  world,  was  yet  well  received  among  them- 
selves, being  of  the  same  import  with  the  phrase(5t  x"'"'"') 
often  used  by  Paul,  to  signify  those  ivho  are  Christ's,  taken 
originally  from  the  words  of  Jesus,  Mark  ix,  41. 

As  Jesus  Christ  stands  at  the  head  of  all  who  are  his,  re- 
ceiving worship  from  them  as  their  God  and  King;  so  he 
points  forth  the  adversary  as  conducting  all  who  are  against 
him,  and  acting  as  the  prince  of  this  world ;  even  as  Paul 
calls  him,  in  the  same  vieAV,  The  god  of  this  u-orld.  Thus 
we  see  how  greatly  the  earthly  theocracy  was  corrupted, 
IS* 


210  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

when  the  favourite  nation,  formed  under  it,  came  to  such  a 
height  of  impiety  and  disloyalty,  as  to  put  to  death  the  Son  of 
God,  the  King  of  Israel,  subjecting  themselves  to  his  adver- 
sary as  their  prince  and  their  god. 

Under  the  influence  of  the  prince  and  god  of  this  world, 
we  find  the  Roman  virtue,  the  devout  zeal  of  the  Pharisees, 
and  the  more  enlarged  sentiments  of  the  Sadducees,  all  pointed 
against  him,  who  is  the  adequate  object  of  the  fulness  of  the 
Divine  good  pleasure  and  delight.  Hence  we  may  see,  when 
Paul  came  to  know  the  dignity  of  the  person  who  suffered  on 
the  cross,  and  observed  there  what  aspect  the  world  bare  to 
the  source  of  all  his  happiness,  with  how  great  propriety  and 
majesty  he  said.  Far  be  it  that  I  should  glory,  save  iii  the  cross 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  bi/ which  the  ilwt Id  is  crucified  unto 
me,  and  I  unto  the  world.  At  the  cross  of  Christ,  Paul  took 
his  last  leave  of  the  world,  and  all  that  is  admired  in  it. 
Hence  we  see  what  he  was  to  expect  from  it  in  his  course  of 
preaching  salvation  through  that  cross.  But  if  the  world,  like 
a  dying  man,  looked  cold  and  averse  to  him,  he  was  bold  to 
profess  himself  fully  even  with  it.  He  did  not  regret  the 
want  of  its  countenance;  he  enjoyed  a  ground  of  glorying, 
which  made  him  look  above  it :  and  whatever  other  source 
of  boasting  men  had  to  talk  of,  he  was  in  readiness  to  despise 
it,  with  full  as  great  confidence  as  they  w^re  capable  to  do  his. 

The  whole  corruption  of  revelation,  with  every  notion  of 
the  Divine  character  opposite  to  the  gospel,  is  in  the  New 
Testament  called  the  darkness  of  this  world.  The  adversaiy 
and  his  angels  are  called  the  rulers  of  that  darkness.  Agree- 
ably to  this,  Paul  speaking  of  those  who  with  himself  knew 
the  grace  of  God  in  truth,  says,  Col.  i,  12,  13,  Giving  thanks 
unto  the  Father,  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of 
darkness,  and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son 
of  his  love.* 

We  have  seen,  then,  whence  the  apostles  learned  to  insist 
so  much  as  they  do  in  their  writings,  in  declaring  what  is  of 
the  world,  and  what  is  of  God;  or,  in  other  words,  what  is 

'^  Sonof  his  love.  Here,  by  the  wa}^,  we  may  observe  one  reason  why 
Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  Son  and  image  of  God,  and  accordingly  wor- 
shiped as  God  :  lor  if  the  Divine  love  was  to  be  fully  manifested  to  men 
by  a  gift  equal  to,  or  fully  expressive  of  it,  surely  no  less  than  a  person 
of  infinite  dignity,  a  divine  person,  was  fit  to  be  the  proper  and  adequate 
product  thereof.  Accordingly,  we  find,  th;it  the  Scripture  gives  us  no 
other  measure  of  the  Divine  love  but  this  gift;  and  ibis  gift  is  the  full 
measure  thereof.     God  so  laved  the  v:orld,  that  he  sate  his  Son. 


LET.  IV.J  TIIERON   AND  ASPASIO  211 

of  the  flesh,  and  what  is  of  the  spirit ;  and  in  stating  the  oppo- 
sition betwixt  these  in  the  strongest  manner  ;  and  to  be  so  dili- 
gent in  animating  Christians  to  fight  the  good  Tight  of  faith, 
and  contend  earnestl}^  for  it;  and  why  they  issued  so  many 
awful  threatenings  against  all  who  went  about  by  any  kind 
of  trimming,  or  reconciling  methods,  to  quench  the  fire  of  that 
contention  which  Jesus  Christ  came  to  revive  in  the  earth. 
Those  who  wanted  to  make  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh,  and 
sought  to  make  Christianity  more  palatable  to  men,  or  less 
obnoxious  to  their  hatred,  that  the  offence  of  the  cross  mio-ht 
cease,  gave  the  apostles  the  greatest  disquiet.  7'hoiigh  nothino- 
is  reckoned  more  idle  and  foolish  by  many  called  Chris- 
tians, than  a  controversy  about  the  faith;  yet  the  great  effect  of 
the  Spirit  of  the  truth  on  any  man  in  whom  he  dwells,  is  to 
make  him  zealous  in  contending  for  it,  and  withal  ready  to 
bear  patiently  all  the  effects  of  the  world's  hatred  and  con- 
tempt of  it.  Thus  he  labours  for  the  glory  of  God  ;  thus  he 
shows  the  greatest  good  will  to  men.  Paul  spent  his  life 
in  this  contention,  and  he  thought  it  well  bestowed  therein  : 
Yea,  (says  he  in  his  epistle  to  the  Philippians,)  a7id  if  I  be 
offered  (or  poured  out  as  a  drink-ofl^ering)  upon  ike  sacrifice 
and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and  rejoice  with  yov,  all. 
And  he  urges  these  same  Christians  to  zeal  in  this  contention, 
after  his  example,  as  the  great  purpose  for  which  they  were 
gathered  together  into  church  order ;  j^ea,  as  the  principal 
characteristic  of  a  conversation  becoming  the  gospel.  Only  lei 
your  coiwersniion  be  as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ :  that 
whether  I  come  and  see  you,  or  else  be  absent,  I  may  hear  of 
your  affairs,  that  ye  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind, 
striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel  ;  and  in  nothing 
terrified  by  your  adversaries:  lohich  is  to  them  an  evident 
token  of  perdition,  but  to  you  of  salvation,  and  that  of  God. 
For  unto  you  it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to 
believe  on  h',m,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake;  having  the  same 
conflict  ichich  ye  saio  in  me,  and  now  hear  to  be  i?i  me.  But 
to  proceed  : 

The  new  state  of  things,  the  kingdom  or  church  erected 
by  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  true,  heavenly,  and  eternal  theocracy, 
prefigured  by  the  old  earthly  one,  Avhich  passed  away.  This 
noAv  kingdom  received  its  form  and  establishment  when  the 
King  thereof  was  anointed  and  seated  on  his  throne ;  when 
the  soul  and  body  of  the  Son  of  God,  wherein  he  became  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful  unto  death,  were  brought  into  the  full  pos- 
session and  enjoyment  of  that  glory  and  blessedness,  which 
he  had  with  the  Father  before  anything  was  created.     In 


212  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

consequence  of  this  great  event,  all  who  from  the  beginning 
had  died  in  the  faith  of  the  promise ;  with  all  who  now  on 
earth  believed  its  accomplishment,  wer-e  formed  into  one  body- 
under  their  common  head  by  the  Spirit,  which  was  not  given 
till  Jesus  was  glorified.  Now  the  spirits  of  just  men  were 
made  perfect,  God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us, 
(says  Paul  to  the  Hebrews,)  that  they  without  us  should  not 
be  made  perfect.  They  were  happy  before  in  the  joyful  ex- 
pectation of  the  accomplishment  of  their  promise  ;  but  as  they 
could  not  see  it  accomplished,  so  they  received  not  the  grand 
thing  promised  till  now.  They  had  been  from  the  beginning 
chosen  to  this  kingdom,  now  they  were  incorporated  into  it. 

The  holy  angels  are  brought  into  a  new  order  in  this  king- 
dom, and  they  enjoy  greater  happiness,  by  seeing  more  of  the 
Divine  glory,  while  they  act  as  servants  to  the  Son  of  man  in 
ministering  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  than  while  they  exercise 
the  high  powers  given  them  in  the  earthly  theocracy;  For 
unto  the  angels  (says  Paul)  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the 
world  to  come,  whereof  wc  spco^k. 

The  seat  of  this  kingdom  is  in  heaven,  and  all  the  grand 
things  spoken  of  Jerusalem,  the  seat  of  power  and  centre  of 
worship  in  the  earthly  theocracy,  hold  true  in  their  fullest 
sense  when  applied  to  this;  and  they  are  constantly  applied, 
accordingly,  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets  explained  by  the 
apostles.  Moreover,  all  the  power  of  this  kingdom  is  exer- 
cised by  the  king  himself,  without  any  deputies  or  representa- 
tives. This  kingdom,  then,  cannot  be  moved  ;  no  enemy,  no 
deceiver,  can  approach  to  the  seat  of  power,  where  all  the  inte- 
rests of  the  kingdom  are  eternally  secured. 

But  this  kingdom,  for  the  sake  of  its  imperfect  subjects,  and 
for  the  sake  of  those  who  are  chosen  to  be  yet  made  subjects 
of  it,  makes  likewise  an  appearance  on  the  earth  in  the  open 
profession  of  the  faith  in  the  world. 

To  support  this  open  profession,  that  the  truth  might  be 
retained  in  its  simplicity  among  those  who  believed,  that 
it  might  be  confirmed  by  its  genuine  effects,  and  that  the  light 
thereof  might  shine  before  all  men,  societies  were  gathered 
in  divers  places,  by  the  influence  of  the  gospel  on  the  minds 
of  men,  and  formed  by  the  inspired  apostles  into  church  order, 
so  as  that  each  of  them  should  be  a  representation  by  itself 
of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  city  or  region  where  it  was  gath- 
ered. Each  of  these  societies,  then,  which  were  formed  by  the 
direction  of  the  apostles,  might  justly  be  considerfd  as  a  hea- 
venly theocracy  on  earth.  For  as  all  the  concerns  of  its  union 
were  heavenly,  so  in  these  it  was  subject  to  no  jurisdiction 


LET.    IV.]  TIIERON  AND   ASPA.SIO.  213 

under  heaven.  And,  indeed,  nothing  h  ss  ihan  the  povvcr  of 
Christ's  resurrection,  and  motives  arising-  from  the  state  of 
things  beyond  the  grave,  could  preserve  the  members  of  such 
a  society  in  fervent  love  to  the  truth,  and  patient  suffering  for 
it,  and  retain  them  in  the  order  and  appoint  them,  the  younger 
subject  to  the  elder,  and  all  of  them  one  to  another,  in  the  fear 
of  God. 

Accordingly,  we  find  the  names  and  descriptions  of  the  one 
entire  heavenly  kingdom,  commonly  applied  by  the  apostles 
to  each  of  these  societies,  as,  The  church  of  God,  the  body  of 
Christ,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  &c.  In  the  beginning  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  we  see  with  what  Divine  power  and 
majesty  the  first  of  these  was  erected  in  Jerusalem.  The 
glory  which  attended  the  erection  of  the  earthly  theocracy  of 
old,  was  far  excelled  by  what  took  place  in  this  society.  The 
minds  of  the  people  in  the  former  were  filled  with  the  greatest 
dread  and  terror,  the  latter  were  filled  with  the  greatest  joy 
and  confidence,  even  while  under  the  most  awful  view  of  the 
Divine  purity  and  holiness. 

But  as  many  were  capable  of  professing  the  faith,  so  fit  to 
be  received  as  members,  who  were  but  partially  enlightened, 
so  did  not  thoroughly  understand  the  truth,  so  as  to  obey  it 
from  the  heart ;  and  as  a  natural  bias  against  it  still  remained, 
even  in  the  minds  of  those  who  did  understand  it,  these  socie- 
ties were  liable  to  be  greatly  corrupted,  both  as  to  their  faith 
and  order,  and  at  length  to  be  so  far  alienated  from  Christ, 
while  professing  his  name,  as  to  become  the  synagogues  of 
his  adversary.  Paul,  writing  to  one  of  them,  says,  "  I  am 
jealous  over  you,  with  the  jealousy  of  God:  for  I  have 
espoused  you  to  one  husband,  that  I  may  present  you  as  a 
chaste  virgin  to  Christ.  But  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the 
serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  simplicity  toward  Christ." 

As  to  this  appearance  of  the  heavenly  kingdom  on  the 
earth,  both  in  respect  of  the  persecution  from  without,  and 
corruption  from  within,  to  which  it  is  exposed  :  Christ  is  said 
as  yet  to  rule  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies  ;  and  he  continues  to 
do  so,  till  all  his  people,  in  conformity  to  him,  who  was  made 
perfect  through  sufferings,  be  made  meet  for  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light,  and  their  bodies  raised  from  the  dead  to 
the  full  possession  of  it. 

Against  the  heavenly  kingdom,  the  adversary  is  represent- 
ed as  exerting  his  abilities  to  the  utmost,  to  destroy  all  of  it 
within  his  reach :  for  the  ancient  sentence  passed  upon  him. 
in  terms  borrowed  from  the  natural  gfrovellinir  condition  of 


214  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

the  serpent,  "  Upon  thy  belly  thou  shalt  go,  and  dust  shalt 
thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life,"  confines  his  agency  to  the 
earth.  He  opposes  this  kingdom,  by  labouring  to  overthrow 
the  truth  on  which  it  is  erected.  Jesus,  in  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, Art  thou  a  king  then?  gave  this  account  of  his  kingdom, 
Thou  say  est  that  I  am  a  king.  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and 
for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness 
unto  the  truth.  Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareih  my 
voice.  The  adversary  makes  it  his  business  to  change  the 
Divine  truth  into  a  lie.  So  we  are  told,  the  grand  apostacy 
was  to  come  by  his  energy,  with  all  power,  and  signs,  and 
wonders  of  a  lie.  And  the  reigning  leaders  in  this  apostacy, 
who  are  represented  with  crowns  like  gold  on  their  heads, 
are  said  to  have  a  king  over  them,  whose  name,  the  reverse 
of  Jesus,  is  the  destroyer.  All  who  received  not  the  love  of  the 
truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,  but  wished  for  a  perverted 
gospel  to  suit  their  pride  and  worldly  lusts,  now  obtained  it, 
and  believed  a  lie  to  their  destruction.  Jesus  Christ  intimates 
no  less,  than  that  the  power  of  deceit  would  be  so  great,  that 
only  the  elect,  and  they  scarcely,  should  escape  it.  The 
power  of  deceit,  which  began  to  work  even  under  the  ej^es  of 
the  apostles,  has  extended  itself  greatly  since  their  days.  So 
that  false  characters  of  God,  false  Christ's,  false  spirits,  have 
been  reverenced  for  the  true;  yea,  and  all  the  sacred  words 
of  grace,  righteousness,  atonemerit,  holiness,  &c.,  have  been 
applied  to  the  basest  counterfeits  of  what  was  anciently  meant 
by  them,  and  these  counterfeits  treated  with  all  the  respect  due 
to  the  genuine  originals. 

Thus,  by  stratagem,  as  well  as  by  open  contempt,  malice, 
and  violence,  the  adversary  with  his  seed,  continues  to  make 
war  with  the  remnant  of  the  womaiH  s  seed,  which  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ, 
till  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  when  he  shall  be  divested  of 
all  power,  and  become  a  mere  sufferer  of  punishment,  on  a 
level  with  the  meanest  of  those  who  are  deceived  by  him.  So 
that  those  who  fear  not  God,  have  no  occasion,  according  to  the 
popular  notion,  to  dread  any  harm  from  him  in  the  other  world. 

I  have  as  yet  spoken  but  sparingly,  and  in  the  general,  of 
the  Spirit  of  the  truth,  having  described  it  hitherto,  chiefly 
by  showing  what  is  opposed  to  it.  But  a  more  particular 
consideration  thereof  will  naturally  occur  afterward,  in  speak- 
ing of  faith,  and  its  effects. 

In  the  meantime,  it  may  not  be  amiss  here  to  take  some 
view  ol  the  spirit  which  breathes  in  the  religion  of  the  pre- 


LET.   IV.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  215 

sent  age,  more  especially  on  the  leading  point  of  acceptance 
with  God.  And  this  I  think  we  may  have,  by  glancing  at 
the  writings  of  some  few  of  those  whose  names  are  highly 
respected  by  the  different  classes  among  us. 

I  shall  begin  with  those  two  great  men  who  are  amply 
recommended  to  our  esteem,  as  humble  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  the  manner  following :  "  The  celebrated  Erasmus, 
and  our  judicious  Locke,  having  trod  the  circle  of  sciences, 
and  ranged  through  the  whole  extent  of  human  literature,  at 
length  betook  themselves  solely  to  the  Bible ;  leaving  the 
sages  of  antiquity,  they  sat  incessantly  at  the  feet  of  Jesus."* 
&c. 

Thus  speaks  Erasmus  in  a  small  treatise  against  Luther.f 

"  For  though  Paul  says.    Where  sin  hath  abounded, 

grace  also  hath  superabounded  ;  it  does  not,  therefore,  follow, 
that  before  one  is  by  grace  made  acceptable,  he  may  not 
through  Divine  assistance,  prepare  himself,  by  works  morally 
good,  for  the  Divine  favour,  &c.  I  agree  with  their  opinion, 
who  ascribe  a  little  to  free  will,  but  very  much  to  grace,"  J 

Mr.  Locke,  in  his  Reasonableness  of  Christianity,  shows 
at  large,  from  the  Scriptures,  with  great  perspicuity,  that  men 
obtained  eternal  life,  believing  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God.  But  not  knowing  the  truth  which  the  apos- 
tles understood  by  these  words,  so  not  finding  any  ground  of 
acceptance  with  God  in  them,  he  very  plainly  rests  our  justi- 
fication  before  God,  on  the  homage  we  pay  to  him,,  in  giving 
credit  to  any  promise  or  truth  he  is  pleased  to  reveal,  as  that 
Abraham  should  have  a  son ;  or  rather,  in  putting  together 
these  two  words,  and  affirming,  in  any  sense  we  please,  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  together  with  our  best  endeavours  to  obey 
the  precepts  delivered  by  him;  from  whom,  beside  a  clearer 
declaration  of  our  duty,  and  greater  encouragements  to  vir- 
tue, arising  from  the  prospect  of  a  future  life,  he  proposes  no 
other  advantage  to  us,  but  that,  p.  289,  "  If  we  do  what  we 
can,  he  will  give  us  his  Spirit  to  help  us  to  do  what  and  how 
we  should."  This,  I  think,  is  the  scope  and  substance  of 
the  whole  treatise.     However,  we  may  hear  a  few  more  of 


*^  ^Meditations,  vol.  1,  p.  l.']. 

t  Entitled,  De  lihero  arhitrio  rolhttio. 

I  Quaiifjuam  eniin  Pnuius  (licit,  Ubl  ahvndacit  ppccatiun,  svpcrahundavit 
et  irratia;  non  tuiu  sequitur  ex  hoc,  quod,  ante  grutiam  gratum  facientcm, 
noil  possit  homo,  adjutus  auxilio  Dei,  per  opera  moralitcr  bona,  sese  pric- 
pa  rare  favor  i  dirino,  &c. 

—  Mihi  placet  illorion  scntcntia,  qui  nonnihil  trihuunl  libero  arhitrio  scd 
gratia:  pluri.nuut. 


216  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

his  own  words,  p.  193,  "  God  dealt  so  favourably  with  the 
posterity  of  Adam,  that  if  they  would  believe  Jesus  to  be  the 
Messiah,  the  promised  King  and  Saviour,  and  perform  what 
other  conditions  were  required  of  them  by  the  covenant  of 
grace,  God  would  justify  them  because  of  this  belief  He 
would  account  this  faith  to  them  for  righteousness,  and  look 
on  it  as  makingup  the  defects  of  their  obedience  ;  which  being 
thus  supplied  bv  what  was  taken  instead  of  it,  they  were  look- 
ed on  as  just  or  righteous,  and  so  inherited  eternal  life." — 
p.  213,  "The  faith  required  was  to  believe  Jesus  to  be  the 
Messiah,  the  anointed,  who  had  been  promised  by  God  to  the 
world.  Amongst  the  Jews,  (to  whom  the  promises  and 
prophecies  were  more  immediately  delivered,)  anointing  was 
used  to  three  sorts  of  persons,  at  their  inauguration,  whereby 
they  were  set  apart  to  three  great  offices,  viz.  of  priests,  pro- 
phets, and  kings.  Though  these  three  offices  be  in  holy  writ 
attributed  to  our  Saviour;  yet,  I  do  not  remember  that  he  any 
where  assumes  to  himself  the  title  of  a  priest,  or  mentions 
anything  relating  to  his  priesthood.  Nor  does  he  speak  of 
his  being  a  prophet  but  very  sparingly,  and  once  or  twice  as 
it  were  by-the-by.  But  the  gospel,  or  the  good  news  of  the 
Messiah,  is  what  he  preaches  everywhere,  and  makes  it  his 
great  business  to  pablish  to  the  world." 

Page  244. — "All,  then,  that  was  required  before  his  ap- 
pearing in  the  world,  was  to  believe  what  God  had  revealed, 
and  to  rely,  with  a  full  assurance,  on  God  for  the  perform- 
ance of  his  promise ;  and  to  believe,  that  in  due  time  he 
would  send  them  the  Messiah,  this  anointed  King,  this  pro- 
mised Saviour  and  deliverer,  according  to  his  word.  This  faith 
in  the  promise  of  God,  this  relying  and  acquiescing  in  his 
word  and  faithfulness,  the  Almighty  takes  well  at  our  hands, 
as  a  great  mark  of  homage  paid  by  us  poor  frail  creatures  to 
his  goodness  and  truth,  as  well  as  to  his  poicer  and  wisdom  ; 
and  accepts  it  as  an  acknowledgement  of  his  peculiar  provi- 
dence and  benignity  to  us.  This  oblation  of  an  heart,  fixed 
with  dependence  and  afTection  on  him,  is  the  most  acceptable 
tribute  we  can  pay  him,  the  foundation  of  true  devotion,  and 
life  of  all  religion.  What  a  value  he  puts  on  this  depending 
on  his  word,  and  resting  satisfied  in  his  promises,  we  have  an 
example  in  Abro^ham  whose  faith  loas  counted  to  him  for  righ- 
teousness, as  we  have  before  remarked  out  of  Rom.  iv.  And 
his  relying  firmly  on  the  promise  of  God,  without  any  doubt 
of  its  performance,  gave  him  the  name  of  the  father  of  the 
faithful,  and  gained  him  so  mubh  favour  with  the  Almighty, 
that  he  was  called  the  friend  of  God ;  the  highest  and  most 


LET.    IV.]  THI.RON    AND   ASPASIO.  217 

glorious  title  can  be  bestowed  on  a  creature.  The  thinrj 
promised  was  no  more  but  a  son  by  his  wife  Sarah,  and  a 
numerous  posterity  by  him,  which  should  possess  the  land  of 
Canaan.  These  were  but  temporal  blessings,  and  (except  the 
birth  of  a  son)  very  remote ;  such  as  he  should  never  live  to 
see,  nor  in  his  own  person  have  the  benefit  of  But  because 
he  questioned  not  the  performance  of  it,  but  rested  fully  satis- 
fied in  the  goodness,  truth,  and  faithfulness  of  God,  who  had 
promised,  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness,  <fec. 

Page  251,  Sf  stqq. — "What  shall  become  of  all  the  rest  of 
mankind,  who,  having  never  heard  of  the  promise  or  news 
of  a  Saviour,  not  a  word  of  a  Messiah  to  be  sent,  or  that 
was  to  come,  have  had  no  thought  or  belief  concerning  him? 
To  this  I  answer, — The  same  spark  of  the  Divine  naturcand 
knowledge  in  man,  which,  making  him  a  man,  showed  him 
the  law  he  was  under  as  a  man,  showed  him  also  the  way  of 
atoning  the  merciful,  kind,  compassionate  author  and  father 
of  him  and  his  being,  when  he  had  transgressed  that  law. — 
He  that  made  use  of  this  candle  of  the  Lord,  so  far  as  to  find 
what  was  his  duty,  could  not  miss  to  find  also  the  way  to  re- 
conciliation and  forgiveness  when  he  had  failed  of  his  duty; 
though,  if  he  used  not  his  reason  this  way,  if  he  put  out,  or 
neglected  this  light,  he  might  perhaps  see  neither. 

"  The  law  is  the  eternal,  immutable  standard  of  right. — 
And  a  part  of  that  law  is,  that  a  man  should  forgive,  not  only 
his  children,  but  his  enemies,  upon  thoir  repentance,  asking 
pardon,  and  amendment.  And,  therefore,  he  could  not  doubt, 
that  the  author  of  this  law,  and  God  of  patience  and  consola- 
tion, who  is  rich  in  mercy,  would  forgive  his  frail  offspring  if 
they  acknowledged  their  faults,  disipproved  the  iniquity  of 
their  transgressions,  begged  his  pardon,  and  resolved  in  ear- 
nest for  the  future  to  conform  their  actions  to  this  rule,  which 
they  owned  to  be  just  and  right.  This  way  of  reconciliation, 
this  hope  of  atonement,  the  light  of  nature  revealed  to  them  ; 
and  the  revelation  of  the  gospel,  having  said  nothing  to  the 
contrary,  leaves  them  to  stand  and  fall  to  their  own  father  and 
master,  whose  goodness  and  mercy  is  over  all  his  works.'' 

Pages  290,  295. — "  There  remains  yet  something  to  be 
said  to  those  who  will  be  ready  to  object.  If  the  belief  of  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth  to  be  the  Messiah,  together  with  those  con- 
comitant articles  of  his  resurrection,  rule,  and  coming  again 
to  ju'lge  the  world,  be  all  the  faith  required  as  necessary  to 
justification,  to  what  purpose  were  the  epistles  written?  1 
say,  if  the  belief  of  those  many  doctrines  contained  in  them, 
be  not  also  necessary  to  salvation?  and  if  what  is  there  deli- 
19 


218  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

vered,  a  Christian  may  believe,  or  disbelieve,  and  yet  never- 
theless be  a  member  of  Christ's  church,  and  one  of  the  faith- 
ful! 

"  To  this  I  answer,  That  the  epistles  were  written  upon 

several  occasions. They  were  writ  to  those  who  were  in 

the  faith  and  true  Christians  already,  and  so  could  not  be  de- 
signed to  teach  them  the  fundamental  articles  and  points  ne- 
cessary to  salvation. They  were  writ  upon  particular  oc- 
casions, and  without  these  occasions  had  not  been  writ ;  and 
so  cannot  be  thought  necessary  to  salvation."  Small  Edi- 
tion, London,  1695. 

Such  use  did  these  two  men  make  of  the  Bible,  and  such 
disciples  of  Jesus  did  they  prove. 

Let  us  next  attend  to  Archbishop  Tillotson,  whose  doc- 
trine, since  he  wrote,  has  been  heard  from  a  thousand  pulpits. 

Folio  volume  of  his  loorks,  London,l735,  sermon  12.  Of  the 
inward  peace  and  pleasure  which  attends  religion.     Psalm 

cxix,  165.   Great  peace  have  they  which  love  thy  laio. 

"  But  now  religion  frees  a  man  from  all  this  torment  [of  guilt], 
either  by  preventing  the  cause  of  it,  or  directing  to  the  cure  ; 
either  by  preserving  us  from  guilt,  or  clearing  us  out  of  it,  in 
case  we  have  contracted  it.  It  preserves  us  from  guilt,  by 
keeping  us  innocent ;  and  in  case  we  have  offended,  it  clears 
us  of  it,  by  leading  us  to  repentance  and  the  amendment  of 
our  lives,  which  is  the  only  way  to  recover  the  favour  of 
God,  and  the  peace  of  our  own  consciences,  and  to  secure  us 
against  all  apprehension  of  danger  from  the  Divine  justice  ; 
though  not  absolutely  from  all  fear  of  punishment  in  this 
world,  yet  from  that  which  is  the  greatest  danger  of  all,  the 
condemnation  and  torment  of  the  world  to  come.  And  by 
this  means,  a  man's  mind  is  settled  in  perfect  peace,  religion 
freeing  him  from  those  tormenting  fears  which  he  can,  upon 
no  other  terms,  rid  himself  of:  whereas  the  sinner  is  always 
sowing  the  seeds  of  trouble  in  his  own  mind,  and  laying  the 
foundation  of  continual  discontent  to  himself 

"  Now,  whoever  sincerely  endeavours  to  please  God, 

may  rest  perfectly  assured,  that  God  hath  no  displeasure 
against  him ;  for  the  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness,^^ 
&c. 

Sermon  13.  The  nature  and  benefit  of  consideration,  Psal. 
cxix,  59,   /  thought  on  my  ways,  &c. 

"  The  dismal  thoughts  of  being   miserable   forever, 

should  effectually  discourage  any  man  from  a  wicked  life. 
And  this  danger  continually  threatens  the  sinner,  and  may,  if 
God  be  not  merciful  to  him,  happen  to  surprise  him  the  next 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  219 

moment.  And  can  we  make  too  much  haste  to  fly  from  so 
great  and  apparent  a  danger  ?  When  will  we  think  of  saving 
ourselves,  if  not  when  (for  aught  we  know)  we  are  upon  the 
very  brink  of  ruin,  and  just  ready  to  drop  into  destruction  ? 

"5.  Upon  this  naturally  follows,  a  full  conviction  of  the 
necessity  of  quitting  this  wicked  course. 

"  6.  Lastly,  an  apprehension  of  the  possibility  of  making 
this  change.  God,  who  designed  us  for  happiness  at  first,  and 
after  we  had  made  a  forfeiture  of  it  by  sin,  was  pleased  to 
restore  us  again  to  the  capacity  of  it,  by  the  redemption  of 
our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour,  has  made  nothing  necessary  to 
our  happiness  that  is  impossible  for  us  to  do,  either  of  our- 
selves, or  by  the  assistance  of  that  grace  which  he  is  ready 
to  afford  us,  if  we  heartily  beg  of  him.  For  that  is  possible 
to  us,  which  he  may  do  by  the  assistance  of  another,  if  we 
may  have  that  assistance  for  the  asking:  and  God  hath  pro- 
mised to  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him.  So  that, 
notwithstanding  the  great  corruption  and  weakness  of  our 
natures,  since  the  grace  of  God  which  brings  salvation  hath 
appeared,  it  is  not  absolutely  out  of  our  power  to  leave  our 
sins  and  turn  to  God  ;  for  that  may  truly  be  said  to  be  in  our 
power,  which  God  hath  promised  to  enable  us  to  do,  if  we 
be  not  wanting  to  ourselves. 

"  So  there  is  nothing  on  God's  part  to  hinder  this  change. 
He  hath  solemnly  declared,  that  he  sincerely  desires  it,  and 
that  he  is  ready  to  assist  our  good  resolutions  to  this  purpose. 
And  most  certainly,  when  he  tells,  that  he  hathno  pleasure  in 
the  death  of  a  sinner,  hut  rather  that  he  should,  turn  from  his 
wickedness,  and  live  ;  that  he  would  have  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  come  to  the  knoidedge  of  the  truth ;  that  he  would  not 
that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance ; 
he  means  plainly  as  he  saith,  and  doth  not  speak  to  us  with 
any  private  reserve,  or  nice  distinction  between  his  secret 
and  revealed  will ;  that  is,  he  doth  not  decree  one  thing,  and 
declare  the  contrary,  etc. — I  do  not  say  that  this  change  is 
perfectly  made  at  once. — In  the  usual  and  settled  methods  of 
God's  grace,  evil  habits  are  mastered  and  subdued  by  de- 
grees, and  with  a  great  deal  of  conflict;  and  many  times  after 
they  are  routed,  they  rally,  and  make  head  again ;  and  'tis  a 
great  while  before  the  contrary  habits  of  grace  and  virtue  are 
grown  up  to  any  considerable  degree  of  strength  and  maturi- 
ty, and  before  a  man  comes  to  that  confirmed  state  of  good- 
ness, that  he  may  be  said  to  have  conquered  and  mortified  his 
lusts.  But  yet  this  ought  not  to  discourage  us  ;  for  so  soon  as 
we  have  seriously  begun  this  change,  we  are  in  a  good  way, 


220  LETTERS  OX  [LET.    IV. 

and  all  our  endeavours  will  have  the  acceptance  of  good  be- 
ginnings, and  God  will  be  ready  to  help  us  ;  and  if  we  pursue 
our  advantages,  we  shall  every  day  gain  ground,  and  the 
work  will  grow  easier  upon  our  hands  ;  and  we,  who  moved 
at  first  with  so  much  slowness  and  difficulty,  shall  after  a 
while  be  enabled  to  run  the  ways  of  God's  commandmcnis 
with  pleasure  and  delight. 

Ser7)io7i  3\.  The  parable  of  the  ten  virgins. — "In  such 
dreadful  confusion  shall  all  impenitent  sinners  be,  when  they 
shall  be  surprised  by  that  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord: 
and  the  case  of  a  dying  sinner,  who  would  take  no  care  in 
the  time  of  his  life  and  health  to  make  preparation  for  another 
world,  is  not  much  more  hopeful  and  comfortable. 

"  For,  alas  !  how  little  is  it  that  a  sick  and  dying  man  can 
do  in  such  a  strait  of  time  1  in  the  midst  of  so  much  pain 
and  weakness  of  body,  and  of  such  confusion  and  amazement 
of  mind?  With  what  heart  can  he  set  about  so  great  a 
work,  for  which  there  is  so  little  time  ?  With  what  face  can 
he  apply  himself  to  God  in  this  extremity,  whom  he  hath  so 
disdainfully  neglected  all  the  days  of  his  life?  and  how  can 
he  have  the  confidence  to  hope  that  God  will  hear  his  cries 
and  regard  his  tears,  that  are  forced  from  him  in  this  day  of 
his  necessity  1  When  he  is  conscious  to  himself,  that,  in  that 
long  day  of  God's  grace  and  patience,  he  turned  a  deaf  ear 
to  all  his  merciful  invitations,  and  rejected  the  counsel  of  God 
against  himself:  in  a  word,  how  can  he  who  ivould  not  know 
in  thai  his  day  the  things  which  belonged  to  his  peace,  expect 
any  other  bat  that  they  should  now  be  forever  hid  from  his 
eyes,  which  are  ready  to  be  closed  in  utter  darkness  ? 

"  I  will  not  pronounce  anything  concerning  the  impossi- 
bility of  a  deathbed  repe?Uance  ;  but  I  am  sure  that  it  is  very 
difficult,  and  I  believe  very  rare.  We  have  but  one  example, 
that  I  knov*'  of,  in  the  whole  Bible  of  the  repentance  of  a  dy- 
ing sinner  ;  I  mean  that  of  the  penitent  thief  u\>on  the  cross  : 
and  the  circumstances  of  his  case  are  so  singular  and  extraor- 
dinary, that  I  cannot  see  that  it  affords  any  ground  of  hope 
and  encouragement  to  men  in  ordinary  cases.  We  are  not 
likely  to  sufibr  in  the  compan}'  of  the  iSon  of  God,  and  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world :  and  if  we  could  do  so,  it  is  not  certain 
that  we  should  behave  ourselves  towards  him  so  well  as  the 
penitent  thief  did,  and  make  so  very  good  an  end  of  so  very 
bad  a  life. 

"  And  the  parable  in  the  text  is  so  far  from  giving  any  en- 
couragement to  a  deathbed  repentance  and  preparation,  thai 


LET.  IV.J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  221 

it  rather  represents  their  case  as  desperate,  who  put  off  their 
preparation  to  that  time." 

Thus  preacheth  the  Archbishop,  in  a  manner  easy  to  be 
understood. 

Let  us  now  hear  that  learned  philosopher  and  critic,  whose 
sentiments  are  warmly  recommended  to  the  attention  of  the 
public  by  not  a  few  writers,  John  Hutchinson,  Esq. 

This  gentleman,  by  his  skill  in  the  Hebrew  language,  takes 
upon  him  roundly  to  oppose  the  apostolic  doctrine  concerning 
the  Divine  sovereignty,  the  person  of  Christ,  and  acceptance 
with  God. 

Vol.  3,  Introduction  to  Hoses' fL7ie  Principio,  p.  90. 

We  are  to  consider  the  state  of  God,  in  respect  to  these  adver- 
saries [the  angels  who  fell,]  put  man  into  at  the  first;  as  if 
he  had  said,  (if  it  was  before  their  fall,)  before  his  angels  ;  (if 
it  was  after  their  fall,)  before  the  angels  who  stood,  and  those 
who  fell ;  as  he  did  in  the  case  of  the  trial  of  Job,  where  both 
are  mentioned :  "  I  will  create  another  system,  and  another 
race  of  creatures,  to  be  called  man,  who  shall  have  powers 
and  opportunities  vastly  inferior  to  what  you  have,  and  only 
give  him  a  small  degree  of  instruction  and  information,  com- 
pared with  what  you  have  had  ;  so  not  a  match  for  any  of  you 
who  have  fallen,  or  who  shall  fall :  I  shall  give  him  a  law;  and 
(if  one  may  presume  to  say)  without  farther  interposition  on 
either  side,  he  shall  persevere  in  love  and  obedience  to  me, 
to  reproach  any  of  you,  and  be  a  rule  to  judge  and  punish 
any  of  you  by  who  have  fallen,  or  shall  fall;  and  if  any  of 
you  who  have  fallen,  or  who  shall  fall,  and  persist,  and  so 
tempt  and  seduce  man,  and  he  shall  repent,  that  will  be  a  just 
reason  to  exclude  you  from  mercy,  and  admit  man  into  new 
terms,  &c." 

Vol.  7,  Hebrew  writings  perfect,  pp.  353,  354.  "And  as 
Adam  was  upon  terms  of  salvation,  and  God  willeth  not  the 
death  of  a  sinner,  but  rather  that  he  should  return,  believe,  do 
his  part,  and  live;  therefore  I  must  rectify  the  construction 
of  the  adverbs  nny  and  ta  Gen.  ii,  22,  which  they  make  nunc  ne 
forte,  a  prohibition,  a  negative,  which  prohibited  the  means 
of  eternal  life :  because  rectifying  it  destroys  the  purport  of 
all  the  Jewish  forgeries,  and  puts  an  end  to  the  disputes  about 
predestination,  which  have  disturbed  the  church,  formed  most 
of  the  sects;  shows  what  was  then  the  only  means  of  recover- 
ing eternal  life  ;  and  shows,  that  man  had  not  forfeited  or  lost 
the  power  of  coming  into  the  terms  ju'oposed,  which  I  cannot 
forbear  mentioning,  though  it  be  not  in  my  drsiirn  to  illus- 
trate it  now."  Then,  after  rendering  ynn,  yet,  by  and  by,  at 
19* 


222  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

length  ;  and  'v,  the  action  of  a  person  in  ^ouhX,  fortassis,  per- 
haps, and  producing  authorities,  he  proceeds,  "  So  at  length, 
possibly,  he  may  exert  his  power,  and  lay  hold  also  of  the 
tree  of  lives,  and  eat  and  live  forever." 

Vol.  8,  Use  of  reason  recovered  by  the  data  in  Christianity, 
p.  49,  "  Where  pride  hath  entered,  'tis  hard  to  plead  guilty. 
When  that  is  allowed,  'tis  hard  to  own  that  a  man  hath  no 
share  in  saying  [for  saving,  I  supposel  himself  so  and  so  only, 
hard  to  be  believed,  that  believing  only  entitles  a  man  to  take 
the  benefit  :  so  by  reason  of  these  difficulties,  and  for  attri- 
buting what  is  due  to  the  Aleim,  faith  is  made  the  part  of 
man." 

Vol.  9,  Use  of  reason,  &c..,  part  2,  pp.  64,  65.  "  The  plea 
by  which  those  fools  {/he  loose  thinkers)  have  imposed  upon 
the  vulgar,  is  contained  in  the  unstated,  undetermined  words 
of  liberty,  freedom,  &c.  State  the  case,  and  those  words  are 
for  us.  Man  has  the  power  of  things  within  his  reach,  to  do 
what  he  will ;  if  God  have  laid  down  terms  of  salvation,  and 
e  contra,  (he  has  the  poiver)  to  save  or  destroy  himself,"  &c. 

Vol.  8,  Use  of  reaso7i,  part,  1,  p.  13.  "Such  illiterate 
creatures  have  forged  a  notion  of  predestination,  which  is^  if 
possible,  more  injurious  to  the  Aleim  and  men.  If  we  could 
see  as  Jehovah  Aleim  see,  we  should  see  how  they  foresee, 
how  every  free  agent  will  behave  himself;  particularly  which 
will  reject,  and  which  will  accept  their  gracious  terms  of  sal- 
vation ;  and  we  should  not  compare  or  measure  their  infinite 
wisdom  and  justice  by  the  share  of  wisdom  it  was  just  for 
them  to  give,  or  give  means  to  attain,  to  a  free  creature  in  per- 
fection ;  much  less  to  that  which  remains  in  our  present  cor- 
rupted state  ;  and  presume  to  charge  them  with  predestinating 
free  agents  to  be  some  eternally  happy,  and  some  eternally 
miserable,  but  each  humbly  acknowledge,"  &c. 

Ibid,^^.  17,  18.  "  A  created  intelligent  agent  cannot  be 
free,  without  liberty  to  choose ;  so  to  take  life  or  death,  hap- 
piness or  misery :  so  the  great  ones  could  not  before,  or  at 
the  creation  of  any  free  agent,  decree  it  to  be  happy  or  miser- 
able." 

Ibid,  pp.  35,  36.  "  I  have  showed  that  Christianity  had  its 
institution  by  a.  conditional  covenant  and  oath  between  the 
Ruhbivi  before  this  world  was  created  ;  that  one  Rub  engaged 
for  men,  if  the  first  fell,  to  become  surety  for  the  person  he 
should  choose  to  inhabit,  and  for  his  brethren  who  came  into 
the  terms,  to  communicate  power  to  him  for  his  performing 
obedience,  atoning  for  them,  &c.,  and  for  their  performing 
such  services  as  should  entitle  them  to  the  benefits  of  that  atone- 


LET.   IV.]  THEllON   AND  ASPASIO.  223 

mcnt,  &c.  ;  and  another  Rub  engaged  to  influence,  persuade 
the  soul,  the  mind  of  that  person,  by  outward  and  inward 
means,  to  qualify  himself  for  the  undertaking  voluntarily  ; 
first  to  reject  the  baits  of  Satan,  to  perform  perfect  obedience, 
to  give  up  himself  for  a  sacrifice ;  and  others  to  relinquish 
Satan,  to  separate  themselves  from  all  things  ofTensive,  and  to 
qualify  themselves  to  accept  the  benefits." 

So  much  for  this  author's  character  of  the  Deity.  Let  us 
now  hear  his  account  of  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  whom 
he  commonly  designs  a  com'pound  and  a  double  person. 

Vol.  6,  Glory  or  gramty,  pp.  219,  220.  "  As  Christ  was 
compounded  of  two  persons,  and  as  he  and  the  inspired  writers 
of  the  New  Testament  sometimes  spoke  in  or  of  one  person, 
sometimes  of  the  other,  sometimes  of  the  joint  persons  ;  when 
those  distinctions  are  made,  however  [taken  running]  they  ap- 
pear to  thw^art  each  other,  and  be  inconsistent,  they  will  then 
appear  to  be  strictly  and  properly  spoken.  God,  the  second 
person,  was  named  Glory,  had  by  covenant  laid  down  that 
glory,  till  he  had  performed  his  part,  Avhich  that  was  not  con- 
sistent with  here,  and  was  then  to  reassume  it ;  the  man,  who 
alone  had  always  other  titles  given  to  him,  was  to  be  taken 
into  the  glory,  so  to  have  glory  given  to  him ;  both,  then,  to 
have  it  ascribed  to  them  as  one  person." 

Ibid,  supra,  p.  201.  "So,  in  distinction  to  the  essence, 
which  was  the  glory,  had  laid  it  down  or  veiled  it,  taken  on 
flesh,  through  which  only  the  splendour  appeared  for  the  time, 
but  had  power  to  reassume  his  glory;  and  the  manhood,  who 
was  to  appear  like  a  servant,  was  to  suffer,  was  to  be  raised, 
and  taken  more  immediately  into  the  essence,  and  with  it  to  be 
glorified." 

Ibid.  pp.  25G,  257,  "  As  the  Word  is  God,  that  it  may  not 
seem  strange,  that  he  is  said  typically  to  be  cut  ofl^,  it  was  fact, 
that  the  God  was  cut  ofl^from  oin  the  man  at  his  death,  and 
till  his  resurrection." 

Vol.  6,  Remarks  vpon  the  Observations  on  a  Sermon,  &LC 
p.  253,  254.  Mr.  H.  represents  the  humanity  as  saying  to 
the  Divinity,  or  the  human  saying  to  the  Divine  Person, 
w^hat  Ave  render,  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  ihou  forsaken 
me  ?  "  He  that  left  the  manhood  Gmj,  was  surely,  according 
to  our  ideas  of  things,  and  according  to  the  words  of  the  law, 
an  execration  ;  notwithstanding  that,  when  it  w^as  performed, 
it  was  by  covenant  to  entitle  that  person  to  have  the  glory  of 
redeeming,  ruling,  and  saving  those  who  accepted  and  came 
into  the  benefit,  nay,  to  be  the  glory  of  the  Aleim." 

In  whatever  sense  this  author  maintains  his  Ocoi  was  an 


224  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IT 

execration ;  yet  it  is  evident,  that,  according  to  his  repre- 
sentation of  the  fact  of  Christ's  death,  and  the  account  he  gives 
of  his  dying  words,  it  was  not  a  Divine,  but  only  a  human  per- 
son, that  suffered  and  died.  Yea,  if  we  attend  to  this  author, 
we  must  all  along  think  of  him  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
only  as  a  human  person,  inhabited  by  the  Deity  in  some  emi- 
nent manner  beyond  other  saints.  Thus  all  his  swelling 
words  about  the  atonement  evanish  into  smoke,  \vhile  he  pre- 
sents us  only  with  the  obedience  of  a  human  person.  But  as 
every  heretic  is  condemned  of  himself ,  we  have  a  pretty  strong 
condemnation  of  this  learned  gentleman  from  his  own  mouth, 
vol.  6,  Glory  or  gravity,  p.  235.  "  Those  who  expect  to  be 
saved  by  a  creature,  or  a  dependant  being,  have  showed  them- 
selves illiterate,  so  ignorant,  so  proud,  so  malicious,"  &c. 

This  author  who  boasts  much  of  his  knowledge  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  is  gloried  in  as  having  taken  off  the  veil  from 
it,  makes  the  following  confession,  vol.  6,  Glory  or  gravity,  p. 
242.  "  I  pretend  not  yet  to  be  sufficiently  prepared  to  explain 
the  New  Testament,  nor  do  I  design  to  attempt  going  further 
now,  than  just  to  hint  the  manner  of  wording  that  affair"  [the 
Trinity,  and  the  person  of  Christ.)  He  had,  indeed,  done  less 
harm  to  many,  had  he  contented  himself  with  the  amusement 
of  accommodating  Hebrew  words  to  his  scheme  of  philosophy, 
and  not  meddled  with  things  for  which  he  was  sensible  he  was 
not  prepared.  The  apostolic  writings  were  by  far  too  vul- 
garly simple  and  plain  to  be  understood  by  a  genius  like  his. 

As  this  author's  persecuting  principles  are  well  known,  I  need 
not  quote  the  many  passages  wherein  they  are  warmly  main- 
tained. I  shall  only  observe,  that  he  carries  them  to  a  remark- 
able height,  w^hen  he  affirms  in  his  Religion  of  Satan,  p.  105, 
That  "a  man  who  is  not  a  real  Christian,  is  not  qualified  to 
be  a  member  of  society."  *A11  the  arguments  for  persecution, 
used  by  this  author,  or  by  any  other,  may  I  think,  be  thus 
shortly  summed  up.  Because  the  sovereign  of  the  universe, 
who  laid  upon  men  his  law,  requiring  godliness  and  humanity, 
thought  fit,  for  the  breaches  of  that  law,  to  destroy  the  old  world 
by  a  flood,  Sodom  and  Gomorah  by  fire,  the  Canaanites  by  the 
sword  of  Joshua,  185,000  in  the  Assyrian  camp  by  the  min- 
istry of  an  angel,  Jerusalem  by  the  sword  of  the  Romans,  and 
Lisbon  lately  by  an  earthquake ;  and  w^ill  at  last  judge  all 
the  world  in  righteousness  :  therefore,  we  are  warranted,  each 
of  us,  to  set  up  for  a  Deity,  and,  in  direct  opposition  to  all 
godliness  and  humanity,  thirst  after  one  another's  blood,  ac- 
cording as  we  are  led  by  our  own  caprice. 

As  this  author  breathes  the  very  same  temper  with  the 


LET.   IV.]  TIIEUON   AND   \»rA.^IO  225 

apostate  Jews,  though  he  ft  11  into  a  riolent  quarrel  with  ihciTi 
about  his  philosophy,  and  the  sense  of  some  words ;  if  we 
would  become  proper  followers  of  his,  we  must  study  the 
Hebrew  language  according  to  his  rules,  in  order  that  we 
may  be  enabled,  with  an  air  of  profound  learning,  to  renounce 
all  the  principles  of  godliness  and  humanity.  It  is  happy  for 
the  learned  followers  of  this  author,  that  they  happen  to  Hve 
among  such  illiterate  neiglibours  as  have  been  taught  more 
humanity  from  the  English  Bible, than  they  from  the  Hebrew; 
otherwise  they  would  soon  lose  their  heads  for  the  most  im- 
pious heresy. 

I  shall  now  ti^ie  some  notice  of  two  renowned  gentlemen, 
who  having  been  considered  among  the  dissenters  as  a  kind 
of  trustees  for  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity,  have 
shown  themselves  most  unworthy  of  the  confidence  reposed 
in  them,  by  their  complaisantly  yielding  up  the  most  ob- 
noxious of  those  doctrines  for  the  sake  of  their  reputation  in 
the  polite  world  ;  and  that  in  such  a  sly  manner,  as  to  lose  as 
little  as  possible  of  their  weight  and  influence  among  the  more 
strictly  religious  and  devout :  I  mean  Dr.  Isaac  Watts  and 
Dr.  Philip  Doddridge. 

The  former,  not  content  with  yielding  up  the  apostolic  ac- 
count of  Christ  as  a  Divine  person,  has  conspired  ^^ith  the 
latter  to  overthrow  the  gospel-doctrine  of  faith,  and  the  im- 
puted righteousness,  in  a  treatise  called  The  Rise  and  Progress 
of  Religion  in  the  Soul ;  which  being  written  by  the  one,  and 
planned  and  revised  by  the  other,  may  justly  be  considered  as 
the  joint  production  of  both.  But  let  us  hear  them  separately. 
As  to  the  account  Dr.  Watts  gives  of  the  person  of  Christ,  I 
shall  content  myself  with  quoting  a  few  words  from  his  treatise 
called,  The  Christian  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  printed  1722. 
In  p.  181,  he  s;iys,  "By  the  appointment  of  the  Father,  the 
Divine  nature  dwells  in  Jesus  the  Son  of  man,  who  of  him- 
self, and  in  himself,  is  but  a  man,  and  could  do  nothing. ^^ 

I  need  not  here  take  notice  of  what  this  author  has  publish- 
ed since,  in  support  of  what  is  now  quoted,  and  setting  forth 
at  large  his  notion  of  the  pre-existence  and  peculiar  origin  of 
the  human  soul  of  Jesus  Christ,  wherein  he  makes  the  great 
dignity  of  his  person  to  consist.  I  shall  rather  proceed  to 
take  notice  of  his  doctrine  about  acceptance  with  God. 

In  a  book  called  Ecangelical  Discourses  on  Several  Subjects, 
octavo,  London,  1747,  discourse  7,  entitled,  God  in  Christ  is 
the  Saviour  ofoJl  the  ends  of  the  Earth;  or,  FaiLh  Represent- 
ed in  its  Lowest  Degrees,  on  Is.  xlv,  22,  Look  unto  vie  and  be 
ye  saved,  he  says,  "2.  Believing  in  Christ  maybe  represented 


226  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IT. 

in  this  place,  by  looking  to  him,  to  express  the  lowest  and  the 
weakest  degree  of  faith,  for  the  encouragement  of  poor  con- 
vinced trembling  sinners.  When  persons  are  awakened  to 
a  lively  apprehension  of  their  guilt,  and  a  quick  sense  of  their 
danger,  and  see  themselves  every  moment  liable  to  perish 
under  the  wrath  of  an  offended  God,  and  at  the  same  time  find 
their  own  utter  inability  to  save  themselves  ;  it  is  proper  that 
the  act  of  faith  lohereby  we  are  saved,  should  be  expressed  in 
the  easiest  manner,  that  we  may  allure  them  toward  Christ,  the 
only  Saviour,  and  may  encourage  them  to  hope.  When  they 
are,  as  it  were,  at  the  ends  of  the  earth,  at  a  wide  distance  from 
God  and  Christ,  they  may  look  towards  him,  and  send  a  wish 
of  desire  and  dependence  that  way;  like  dying,  drowning 
sailors  in  a  storm,  that  look  towards  the  shore  to  see  if  there 
be  any  hope.  And  such  a  look  as  this  is  ordained  of  God,  to 
derive  all  salvation  from  so  almighty  and  complete  a  Saviour 
as  Jesus  Christ  is;  for  it  contains  in  it  the  whole  nature  of 
saving  faith,  as  the  flower  and  the  fruit  are  contained  in  a  little 
green  bud,  though  the  several  parts,  and  the  leaves  of  them, 
are  not  yet  unfolded,  nor  appear  to  sight. 

Such  a  look  of  a  convinced  sinner  to  Christ,  implies  in  it 
a  distressing  sense  of  his  sin  and  present  danger  ;  a  belief  that 
there  is  help  for  him  in  Christ,  and  an  aversion  of  the  eye 
from  every  thing  else;  a  renouncing  of  all  other  dependen- 
cies, an  earnest  readiness  and  desire  to  partake  of  this  salva- 
tion, such  as  Christ  offers  it ;  that  is,  to  make  him  holy  as 
well  as  happy ;  and  it  includes  also  thus  much  oi  trust  or  con- 
fidence, that  if  the  soul  has  any  hope  at  all  of  its  own  salva- 
tion, Christ  is  the  only  ground  of  this  ho^e.  There  is  and 
will  be  some  sort  of  expectation  of  relief  from  the  hand  to 
which  we  look  when  we  see  ourselves  perishing. 

3.  Looking  to  Christ  for  salvation,  is  a  word  that  shows 
how  little  hand  we  have  in   our  deliverance  from  sin  and 

death,"  &c. "But  some  poor  trembling  sinner  will  be 

ready  to  say,  Surely  this  so  little  and  so  low  an  act  of  faith, 
that  I  am  ready  to  question  whether  this  can  save  me  or  no : 
how  shall  I  know  whether  my  looking  to  Christ  is  of  that 
kind  as  shall  be  effectual  to  my  salvation  ? 

Now  in  answer  to  such  an  inquiry,  let  the  fearful  soul  re- 
member what  I  have  said  before,  under  the  secojid  particular, 
concerning  the  several  acts  of  the  soul  that  are  secretly  in- 
cluded in  this  looking  to  Jesus,  and  ask  itself,  whether  it  has 
put  forth  these  acts  or  no?  Besides  this,  I  would  mention 
also  these  two  properties  of  saving  faith,  as  it  is  described  by 
looking. 


LET.  IV.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  227 

1st,  It  must  be  such  a  look  as  immediately  afects  the  heart 
with  love  and  sorrow  ;  sorrow  for  our  sins,  and  love  to  Christ 
our  Saviour.  2dl]/,  It  must  be  such  a  look  as  changes  the 
soul  and  temper  into  another  image,  even  the  image  of  Christ. 
A  saving  look  of  faith  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  will  happily 
influence  all  the  powers  of  nature,  and  all  the  actions  of  life. 
This  is  seldom  done  indeed  at  once,  but  by  slow  degrees,"  &c. 

Let  us  now  hear  Dr.  Doddrige  in  his  Family  Expositor,  on 
Acts  V,  31,  Him  hath  God  exalted,  &c.  The  paraphrase 
runs  thus:  "But  this  very  person,  notwithstanding  all  the 
outrage  with  which  you  treated  him,  hath  God  exalted  at  his 
own  right  hand,  [to  be]  a  Prince  and  Saviour  to  his  people; 
to  give  repentance,  or  to  send  terms  of  peace  and  reconcilia- 
tion by  him,  even  unto  Israel,  by  whom  he  had  been  so  un- 
gratefully insuhed  and  abused,  and  to  bestow  on  those  that 
shall  repent  the  free  and  full  remission  of  dXliYieii  aggravated 
5ms." 

Rom.  ix,  30.  What  shall  toe  say  then,  «&c. — Paraphrase, 
What  shall  ice  then  say  in  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  argu- 
ment ?  Surely  this,  that  the  Gentiles,  who  pursued  not  after 
righteousness,  who  had  a  little  while  ago  no  knowledge  or 
expectation  of  it,  and  no  desire  after  it,  have  now,  to  their  own 
unspeakable  surprise,  and  that  of  the  whole  world,  attained 
to  righteousness,  that  is,  to  the  possession  of  a  religion  where- 
by they  may  be  justified  and  saved ;  even  the  righteousness 
which  is  by  faith  in  the  gospel ;  and  consists  in  humbly  com- 
mitting the  soul  to  Christ  in  the  way  that  he  hath  appointed." 

I  shall  now  produce  for  a  specimen  of  the  Scots  popular 
preachers,  these  three  remarkable  gentlemen,  Mess.  Guthrie, 
Boston,  and  E.  Erskine. 

Mr.  Guthrie,  in  his  Trial  of  a  Saving  Interest  in  Christ. 
part  1,  chap.  7.  0//<2i^/i,  after  having  told  us  in  some  re- 
spects what  faith  is  not,  proceeds  thus  :  "  I  say,  true  justifying 
faith  is  not  any  of  the  aibresaid  things  ;  neither  is  it  sim- 
ply THE   BELIEVING  OF  ANY  SENTENCE  THAT  IS  WRITTEN, 

OR  THAT  CAN  BE  THOUGHT  UPON."  This  I  recomiTiend  as 
a  saying  worthy  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  by  all  readers 
and  hearers  of  the  popular  doctrine. 

In  part  2,  chap.  8.  Of  covenanting  with  God,  he  says, 
"  Go  speedily,  and  search  for  his  ofl^ers  of  peace  and  salvation 
in  the  Scripture,  and  work  up  your  heart  and  soul  to  close 
with  them,  and  with  Christ  in  them,  and  with  God  in  Christ; 
and  do  it  so  as  you  may  have  this  to  say,  That  you  were  seri- 
ous and  in  earnest,  and  cordial  here,  as  ever  you  were  in  any 
thing   to  your  apprehension ;    and,  for    aught    you    know. 


228  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

Christ  is  the  choice  of  your  heart,  at  least  you  neither  know 
nor  allow  anything  to  the  contrary  :  whereupon  your  heart 
doth  appeal  unto  God,  to  search  and  try  if  there  be  aught 
amiss,  to  rectify  it,  and  lead  into  the  right  vvay. 

"  Now,  this  cleaving  of  the  heart  unto  him,  and  casting  it- 
self upon  him,  to  be  saved  in  his  way,  is  believing  ;  which 
doth  indeed  secure  a  man  from  the  wrath  that  is  to  come,  be- 
cause now  he  hath  received  Christ,  and  believeth  on  him,  and 
so  shall  not  enter  into  condemnation,  as  saith  the  Scripture." 

Mr.  Boston,  in  his  Human  Nature  in  its  Fourfold  State, 
near  the  close  of  State  2,  answering  some  objections  upon 
man's  natural  inability  to  recover  himself  by  obeying  the 
gospel,  writes  thus : 

"  Object.  1.  If  we  be  under  an  utter  inability  to  do  any 
good,  how  can  God  require  us  to  do  it  ?  Ans.  God  making 
vianupright,  Eccl.  vii,  29,  gave  him  a  power  to  do  every 
thing  he  should  require  of  him.  This  power  man  lost  by  his 
own  fault. — Now,  we  having,  by  our  own  fault,  disabled  our- 
selves, shall  God  lose  his  right  of  requiring  our  task,  because 
we  have  thrown  away  the  strength  he  gave  us  wherewithal 
to  perform  it  ?  &c. 

"  Object.  2.  Why  do  you,  then,  preach  Christ  to  us  ;  call  us 
to  come  to  him,  to  believe,  repent,  and  use  the  means  of  sal- 
vation ?  Ans.  Because  it  is  your  duty  so  to  do.  It  is  your 
duty  to  accept  of  Christ  as  he  is  offered  in  the  gospel ;  to  re- 
pent of  your  sins,  and  to  be  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion. These  things  are  commanded  you  of  God ;  and  his 
command,  not  your  ability,  is  the  measure  of  your  duty. — 
Finally,  Though  ye  cannot  recover  yourselves,  nor  take 
hold  of  the  saving  help  offered  to  you  in  the  gospel ;  yet,  even 
by  \\iQ  power  of  nature,  ye  may  use  the  outward  and  ordinary 
means,  whereby  Christ  communicates  the  benefits  of  redemp- 
tion to  ruined  sinners,  who  are  utterly  unable  to  recover 
themselves  out  of  the  state  of  sin  and  wrath.  Ye  may,  and 
can,  if  ye  please,  do  many  things  that  would  set  you  in  a  fair 
way  for  help  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Ye  may  go  so  far 
on,  as  to  be  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  the  discreet 
scribe  had  done,  Maik  xii,  34,  (though  it  would  sc^em)  he  was 
Aesiiiuie  of  supernatural  dih\\\\.\QS.  Though  ye  cannot  cure 
yourselves,  yet  ye  may  come  to  \.\iq  pool,  where  many  such 
diseased  persons  as  ye  are  have  been  cured ;  though  ye  have 
none  to  put  you  into  it,  yet  ye  may  lie  at  the  side  of  it ;  and 
who  knoics  but  the  Lord  may  return  and  leave  a  blessing  be- 
hind him  ;  as  in  the  case  of  the  impotent  man,  recorded  John 
V.  5,  6,  7,  8?   I  hope  Satan  docs  not  chain  you  to  your  houses, 


LET.  IV. J  TIIERON    AND  ASPASIO.  229 

nor  stalic  yon  down  in  your  fields  on  the  Lord's  day  ;  but  ye 
are  at  liberty,  and  can  wait  at  the  posts  of  Wisdom's  doors,  if 
ye  will,  etc. — These  things  are  within  the  compass  of  naturai 
iibilit'ies,  and  may  be  practised  where  there  is  no  grace.  It 
must  aggravate  your  guilt,  that  you  will  not  be  at  so  much 
pains  about  the  state  and  case  of  your  precious  souls:  and  if 
ye  do  not  what  ye  can  do,  ye  will  be  condemned,  not  only  for 
want  of  grace,  but  for  your  despising  of  it. 

"  Object  3.  But  all  this  is  needless,  seeing  we  are  utterly 
unable  to  help  ourselves  out  of  the  state  of  sin  and  xorath. 
Ans.  Give  not  place  to  that  delusion,  which  puts  asunder  what 
God  hath  joined,  namely  the  use  of  means,  and  a  sense  of 
our  own  impotency.  If  ever  the  Spirit  of  God  graciously 
influence  your  souls,  ye  will  become  thoroughly  sensible  of 
your  absolute  inability,  and  yet  enter  upon  a  vigorous  use  of 
means.  Ye  will  do  for  yourselves  as  if  ye  were  to  do  all  ; 
and  yet  overlook  all  ye  do,  as  if  ye  had  done  nothing.  Will 
ye  do  nothing  for  yourselves,  because  ye  cannot  do  all  ?  Lay 
down  no  such  impious  conclusions  against  your  own  souls. 
Do  what  you  can  ;  and  it  may  be,  while  ye  are  doing  what  ye 
can  for  y  mrselves,  God  will  do  for  you  what  ye  cannot.  Un- 
derstandest  thou,  what  thou  readest?  said  Philip  to  the  Eunuch. 
How  can  I,  saith  he,  except  some  man  should,  guide  me  ?  Acts 
viii,  30,  3 1.  He  could  not  understand  the  Scripture  he  read, yet 
he  could  read  it ;  he  did  what  he  could,  he  read ;  and  while 
he  was  reading,  God  sent  him  an  interpreter.  The  Isratl- 
ites  were  in  a  great  strait  at  the  Red  Sea ;  and  how  could 
they  help  themselves,  when  upon  the  one  hand  were  moun- 
tains, and  on  the  other  the  enemy's  garrison  ;  when  Pharaoh, 
and  his  host  were  behind  them,  and  the  Red  Sea  bpfore\hernl 
What  could  they  do  ?  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel 
saith  the  Lord  to  Moses,  that  they  go  forward,  Exod.  xiv,  15. 
For  what  end  should  they  go  forward  /  Can  they  make  a 
passage  to  themselves  through  the  sea?  No.  But  let  them 
go  forward,  saith  the  Lord.  Though  they  cannot  turn  sea 
to  dry  land,  yet  they  can  go  forward  to  the  shore.  And  so 
they  did.  And  when  they  did  what  they  could,  God  did  for 
them  what  they  coitld  not  do." 

Near  the  end  of  Head  1.  State  3,  we  have  a  very  good 
view  how  the  popular  doctrine  makes  the  gospel  subservient 
to  human  pride  as  its  tool,  or  as  a  means  for  producing  those 
exercises  of  soul  wherein  justifying  faith  is  made  to  consist. 
The  aicices  to  the  unrege,ncrate  are  thus  concluded.  "  Were 
these  things  deeply  rooted  in  the  heart,  they  might  be  the  seed 
of  that  fear  and  sorrow,  on  account  of  thy  souTs  stale,  which 
20 


230  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV- 

are  necessary  to  prepare  and  stir  thee  up  to  look  after  a  Saviour 
Fix  your  thoughts  upon  him  offered  to  thee  in  the  gospel,  as 
fully  suited  to  thy  case  ;  having,  by  his  obedience  to  the  death, 
perfectly  satisfied  the  justice  of  God,  and  brought  in  everlast- 
ing righteousness.  This  may  prove  the  seed  of  humiliation, 
desire,  hope,  and  faith;  and  put  tliee  on  to  stretch  out  the  with- 
ered hand  unto  him  at  his  own  command." 

Instead  of  making  any  remarks  on  the  treatise  from  whence 
this  quotation  is  made,  1  shall  here  subjoin  the  commenda- 
tion given  of  it  in  the  Dialogues,  vol.  2,  p.  30.  The  note  at 
the  foot  of  the  page,  after  making  a  particular  reference  to 
this  treatise,  proceeds  to  commend  it  thus: — "  Which,  in  my 
opinion,  is  one  of  our  best  books  for  common  readers.  The 
sentences  are  short,  and  the  comparisons  striking.  The  lan- 
guage is  easy,  and  the  doctrine  evangelical.  The  method  pro- 
per, the  plan  comprehensive,  the  manner  searching,  yet  con- 
solatory.— If  another  celebrated  treatise  is  styled,  l^ke  Whole 
Duty  of  Man,  I  would  call  this  The  Whole  of  Ma?i ;  as  it 
comprises  what  he  icas  originally, — what  he  is  by  transgres- 
sion,— what  he  should  be  through  grace, — and,  then,  what 
he  will  be  in  glory." 

Mr.  E.  Erskine,  on  the  assurance  of  faith,  chap.  6,  says, 
— "  And  this  very  committing  of  the  work  of  faith  unto  him, 
from  a  sense  of  your  own  inability,  is  that  believing  which 
we  urge  and  call  you  to,  &c. 

"  Unbelief  and  carnal  reason  are  ready  to  argue,  because 
God  by  his  Spirit  can  do  all,  therefore  we  will  sit  still  and  do 
nothing.  But  the  Spirit  of  God,  whose  reasonings  I  am  sure 
are  infinitely  better,  argues  after  a  quite  different  manner, 
Phil,  ii,  13.  Workout  the  icork  of  your  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling.  Fur  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you,  both  to 
loill  arid  to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure.  O  what  glorious 
encouragement  is  here  for  a  poor  impotent  sinner  to  essay 
and  mint  at  believing!  Here  is  the  arin  of  omnipotency, 
reaching  forth  itself  for  thy  help  and  through-bearing,  in  the 
work  he  calls  thee  to.  Up,  therefore,  and  be  doing  :  for  thy 
God  commands  thy  strength,  and,  therefore,  let  him  be  the 
glory  of  thy  strength. 

"  But  say  you,  seeing  we  cannot  tcork  the  work  of  faitl  , 
why  does  he  yet  command  it?  Is  it  not  a  hardship  to  require  of 
us  what  we  have  no  ability  to  do?  Ans.  Why  do  you  srni 
your  little  children  to  school  with  the  A,  B,  C,  in  their  hands, 
before  they  can  read  one  ktter?  You  do  not  think  it  a 
hardship  to  put  the  book  in  their  hand  a^d  bid  them  read, 
though  they  know  not  a  letter,  because  you  ofler  to  teach 


LET.    IV. J  THEKON    AND   ASPASIO.  23l 

them  yourself,  or  by  another  in  your  place.  So  here,  we 
are  commanded  to  work  the  work  of  God,  which  is  to  believe 
in  him  whom  he  hath  sent ;  which  yet  is  no  hardship,  not- 
withstanding of  utter  inability  for  it  in  ourselves  ;  because  at 
the  same  time  that  he  commands  believing,  he  tells  us,  for  our 
encouragement,  that  he  himself  is  the  author  of  faith,  and  is 
ready  to  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do.  If  a  master 
should  command  a  servant  to  poise  or  lift  a  burden  which  he 
is  not  able  to  move,  or  to  work  a  turn  which  he  has  no  skill 
to  manage:  it  might  indeed  discourage  the  servant  from  at- 
t'.-mpting  it,  if  he  were  required  to  do  it  by  his  own  strength 
or  skill.  But  when  the  master  tells  him,  I  will  assist,  I  will 
direct,  I  will  do  all,  only  ■put  to  thy  hand ;  what  servant 
would  refuse  or  decline  the  service  in  this  case?  or  if  he 
should,  do  you  not  think  he  would  deserve  to  be  beaten  with 
many  stripes!  The  application  is  obvious.  It  is  God's  ordina- 
ry way  to  com.e  and  join  with  the  poor  soul,  and  enable  it  to 
believe,  while,  in  obedience  to  his  command,  it  is  minting  to 
believe  in  Christ.  Like  a  kind  master  of  a  school,  when  the 
child,  in  obedience  to  him,  takes  the  pen  in  his  hand  and 
scribbles  the  best  way  he  can,  the  master  takes  his  hand  in 
his,  and  leads  and  learns  him  to  write.  So  when  we  take, 
as  it  were,  the  pen  in  our  hand,  and  offer  to  write  at  his  com- 
mand, he  takes  our  hand  in  his,  directing,  strengthening,  and 
enabling  us  to  believe.  So  that,  if  there  be  but  a  willing 
mind  to  this  work,  it  is  accepted.  Where  he  gives  to  unit, 
he  will  also  give  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  These  two 
are  inseparably  connected  in  the  order  of  God's  covenant. 

"But  you  may  still  object,  All  the  endeavours  of  a  natural 
man  are  still  but  natural  and  sinful  actions,  and  will  ever 
God  concur,  by  his  almighty  power,  with  the  acts  or  endea- 
vours of  nature?  Ans.  Ahhough  God  be  not  obliged  to  con- 
cur with  the  endeavours  of  nature  :  yet  such  is  his  grace,  love, 
and  good  will  toward  man  upon  earth,  such  is  the  strength 
of  his  desire  after  our  salvation,  such  pleasure  has  he  in  a 
sinner's  believing ;  such  a  regard  has  he  to  what  he  himself 
has  commanded,  that  we  find  him  many  times  actually  con- 
curring with  the  poor  helpless  sinner,  in  impotent  mints  at 
obedience  to  what  he  calls  for.  It  was  no  gracious  principle 
that  moved  Saaman,  the  Syrian,  to  go  wash  in  the  waters  of 
Jordan;  yet,  because  he  did  what  was  commanded,  God  was 
pleased  to  concur  with  the  mean  of  his  own  appointment,  and 
cured  his  leprous  body;  and,  for  ought  I  know,  his  soul  also. 
Let  us  believe  as  we  can,  in  obedience  to  God's  command, 
and  in  a  dependence  upon  his  almighty  power :  and  while 


232  LETTKKS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

we  arc  doing  so,  although  the  act  be  at  the  begmning  but 
natural,  yet  in  the  very  acting,  promised  and  purchased  grace 
strikes  in,  and  turns  it  into  a  supernatural  act  of  believing. 
As  -Nvhen  Christ  was  about  to  work  that  famous  miracle  at 
Cana,  in  Galilee,  he  does  not  first  turn  the  water  into  wine: 
but  he  first  bids  them  pour  out  the  water,  and,  in  pournig  of  it 
out,  the  water  was  changed  into  wine.  So  the  loaves  were 
multiplied  while  the  disciples,  in  obedience  to  the  command 
of  Christ,  were  dividing  them  among  the  multitude.  Just  so 
here,  while  the  poor  soul,  in  a  subordination  to  the  Divine 
power,  and  in  obedience  to  the  Divine  command,  is  attempt- 
ing to  believe,  a  God  of  grace  changes  the  attempt  into  a  true 
genuine  faith ;  so  that  the  soul,  through  the  rnighty  power 
of  God,  ere  ever  it  is  aware,  is  brought  really  to  believe,  and 
that  in  a  way  it  knows  not  how ;  for  the  icind  blows  where 
it  listeth.  I'hus,  I  say,  in  the  very  act  of  faith,  we  are  ena- 
bled to  act  it;  when  we  take  the  pen  in  our  hand,  God  takes 
us  by  the  hand  and  writes  for  us,  leading  us  in  the  way  we 
know  not!'' 

I  shall  likewise  content  myself  here,  with  subjoining  the 
general  encomium  given  to  the  writings  of  this  author,  in  the 
Dialogues,  vol.  3,  p.  310.  The  note  at  the  foot  of  the  page, 
after  a  particular  reference  to  his  doctrine  on  the  assurance 
of  faith,  proceeds  thus:  "Was  I  to  read  in  order  to  refine 
my  taste,  or  improve  my  style,  I  would  prefer  Bishop  Atter- 
bury's  Sermons,  Dr.  Bates'  Works,  or  Mr.  Seed's  Discourses; 
but  was  I  to  read  with  a  single  view  to  the  edification  of  my 
heart,  in  true  faith,  solid  comfort,  and  evangelical  holiness, 
I  would  have  recourse  to  Mr.  Erskine,  and  take  his  volumes 
for  my  tutor." 

To  show  the  extensive  influence  of  the  popular  doctrine 
about  acceptance  with  God,  even  on  the  minds  of  those  who 
have  had  abilities  and  courage  to  combat  many  popular 
opinions,  I  shall  take  notice  of  one  remarkable  instance,  the 
author  of  the  Fable  of  the  Bees.  This  author's  main  doc- 
trine,* about  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  being  the  same 
with  that  taught  by  the  Scripture,  has  proved  extremely  pro- 
voking, both  to  fools  and  philosophers,  making  the  latter  lose 
all  their  boasted  coolness  of  temper.     The  substance  of  all 


^  I  say  \n^  main  doctrine.  For  it  cannot  he  denied  that  he  ha.s  strained 
some  particukir  points,  as  in  the  case  of  luxury  for  in.stance,  further  than 
the  Scripture  warrants;  and  of  this  some  enemie.s  of  hi^  njain  doctrine, 
which  needs  no  straining  to  support  it,  have  not  failed  to  take  undue 
advanta;?e. 


LET.  IV]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  233 

that  has  hitherto  been  advanced  against  it,  amounts,  I  think,  to 
this,  that  the  author  himself  had  certainly  a  very  corrupt  heart. 
And  I  reckon  no  friend  of  his  will  ever  deny  the  truth  of 
this  charge:  for  as  he  intended  to  describe  human  nature  in 
general,  and  not  any  one  particular  class  of  men,  as  distin- 
guished from  others,  it  does  not  appear  that  ever  he  denied 
himself  to  be  a  human  creature.  Though  this  author  has 
clearly  evinced  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  to  the  no 
small  confusion  of  all  the  sons  of  pride,  as  appears  from  the 
weakness  of  their  replies,  joined  with  the  violence  of  their 
reproaches ;  yet  we  cannot  learn  from  him,  what  is  that  vir- 
tue or  holiness  of  life  which  is  well  pleasing  to  God  ;  because 
he  appears  to  have  been  as  ignorant  of  the  true  principle 
thereof,  as  the  bulk  of  popular  preachers.  We  must,  then, 
say  of  this  author,  something  like  what  has  been  already 
Slid  of  the  learned  prelate,  who  alarmed  all  England  with 
his  doctrine  on  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  M]/  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world.  As  the  learned  prelate  clearl}'-  demonstrates 
what  Christ's  kingdom  is  not ;  but  could  not  show  what  it  is, 
as  being  ignorant  of  the  foundation  on  which  it  is  erected  ; 
so  this  author  clearly  demonstrates  what  holiness  is  not ;  but 
could  not  show^  what  it  is,  as  being  ignorant  of  the  true  prin- 
ciple or  spring  from  whence  it  flows.  Now  let  us  hear 
him. 

Free  Tkou^hts  on  Religion,  2d  edition,  London,  1729, 
preface,  p.  4,  "  I  demonstrate,  that  what  is  commonly  under- 
stood by  faith  and  believing,  is  the  easiest  part  of  Christianity, 
in  v^'hich  very  few  are  defective  :  but  that  the  most  difficult 
part  of  our  religion  consists  in  subduing  our  passions  to  the 
love  of  God,  and  in  obedience  to  his  commands.  Page  20  of 
the  book.  Christians,  then,  are  not  bad  for  want  of  fait-h,*  or 
of  WISHING  TO  BK  GOOD;*  but  because  they  are  not  able  to 
overcome  their  appetites  and  curb  their  passions,  or  rather 
have  not  resolution  enough  to  set  about  and  persevere  in  the 
attempt  of  it,  w^iilst  they  are'  unassisted  with  the  Divine 
grace." 

Inquiry  into  the  Causes  of  the  Frequent  Executions  at  Ty- 
burn, London,  1725,  cha'pter  5  ;  of  the  regulations  concern- 
ing felons  in  prison,  and  the  good  effects  to  be  expected  from 
ihe/n.     After  having  proposed  several  regulations,  the  author 


*  I  liave  talven  the  liberty  to  distin:;rcisli  these  words  with  small  capi- 
tals, as  they  serve  to  .sliow,  how  much  even  the  most  iuquisilive  men  are 
conducted  by  tradition,  or  the  reliijion  of  their  country,  as  to  any  notions 
they  have  about  acceptance  vvitli  C»od. 
20* 


234  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV, 

proceeds  thus,  in  p.  43,  "When  the  condemned  should,  in 
every  respect,  receive  the  treatment  I  have  required,  and  by 
this  means,  undisturbed  by  earthly  cares,  have  leisure,  in 
sober  sadness,  to  review  their  past  life,  and  examine  into  the 
multitude,  as  well  as  enormity  of  their  offences:  then,  after 
thorough  contrition,  and  an  open  confession  in  behalf  of 
justice,  animated  by  faith,  betake  to  constant  praj-er :  we 
ought  to  believe,  that  thus  exerting  themselves  in  the  work  of 
salvation,  by  the  good  guidance  of  able  divines,  and  their  own 
unwearied  endeavours,  many  of  them  would  find  favour  in  the 
sight  of  the  Almighty;  and  that  several,  even  as  they  went 
to  death,  would  be  regenerated  and  comforted  from  above, 
with  a  strong  assurance  of  forgiveness." 

This  author  does  not  indeed  speak  of  the  love  of  God  and  of 
obedience  to  his  commands ;  but  as  these  expressions  are  as 
general,  and  of  as  undetermined  meaning,  as  holiness  or  vir- 
tue, their  import  must  always  be  measured  by  what  a  man 
holds  about  acceptance  whh  God.  And  as  to  this  point,  it  evi- 
dently appears,  from  the  last  quotation,  that  this  author  goes 
fully  into  the  spirit  of  the  popular  doctrine.  Part  of  his  style 
about  faith,  indeed,  differs  from  that  of  some  popular  preach- 
ers :  yet,  on  the  whole,  it  is  plain,  that  the  exercise  of  his 
penitent  and  theirs  must  be  at  bottom  much  the  same.  After 
all  the  noise  that  has  been  made  about  this  author,  his 
account  of  human  nature,  though  writ  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  be  read  by  many  who  have  no  taste  for  theological  tracts, 
is  really  no  other  than  what  is  to  be  found  in  a  thousand  ser- 
mons, of  first  repute  for  orthodoxy.  The  greatest  fault  I  can 
find  with  him  is,  that  on  the  point  of  acceptance  with  God,  he 
turns  out  to  be  a  votary  of  the  popular  doctrine,  and  would 
restore  depraved  human  nature,  by  chiming  in  with  the  great- 
est corruption,  both  of  it  and  of  the  gospel.  From  this  instance 
we  may  see,  that  men  may  have  very  extensive  views  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  human  nature,  and  of  the  necessity  of  power,  more 
than  human,  for  its  recovery;  and  yet,  in  the  matter  of  accep- 
tance with  God,  be  entirely  conducted  by  the  spirit  of  self- 
dependence. 

I  shall  now,  in  the  last  place,  take  some  notice  of  the  most 
fashionable  form  of  Christian  doctrine,  as  presented  to  us  in  a 
periodical  performance,  Avell  received  by  the  public.  We 
have  it  in  a  censure  passed  on  Dr.  Sykcs,  for  inadvertence, 
in  the  following  words.  Monthly  Review  for  Sepie7nber, 
1755,  p.  237.  "  For  to  appease  God,  or  to  appease  God  for 
sins,  or  071  account  of  sins,  or  male  God  propitious,  is  neither 
the  language  nor  doctrine  of  Divine  revelation,  whatever  simi- 


LET.   IV.j  THERON  AND  AaPASIO.  f^35 

lar  passages  ma}'  be  extracted  from  heathen  u  riters,  whose 
general  scheme  of  religion  was  absurd  or  idolatrous.  May 
we  be  permitted  to  suggest  a  thought,  not  altogether  improper 
on  this  occasion,  and  calculated  to  elucidate  the  reasonings  in 
this  epistle  [to  the  Hebrews]  ?  viz.  that  the  sacrifices  of  the 
law  may  be  considered,  as  the  public  methods  of  declaring 
and  ascertaining  the  legal  or  political  transgressions  only, 
for  which  they  were  specially  ordained  :  and  that  they  who 
had  violated  the  legal  national  constitution,  and  were,  thereby, 
liable  to  legal  penalties  or  punishments,  were,  by  the  interven- 
tion of  the  priest  or  high-priest,  the  authorized  legal  officers, 
proclaimed  actually  possessed  of  pardon,  and  exempted  from 
legal  punishments  on  account  of  their  political  sins.  But 
none  of  these  external  or  political  processes  certified  the  remis- 
sion of  moral  guilt,  or  proclaimed  any  exemption  from  the 
punishments  of  the  invisible  world.  Whereas  Christ,  by  the 
doctrine  or  promises  of  his  religion,  attested  by  his  death,  and 
divinely  confirmed  by  God's  raising  him  from  the  dead,  hath 
exhibited,  certified,  and  proclaimed  God  as  essentially  pro- 
pitious to  the  penitent  believer ;  and  as  an  authentic  testi- 
mony, that  God  appointed,  approved,  and  accepted  Christ's 
obedience  to  death,  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead;  and  by 
the  generous  donation  of  his  grace,  empowered  him  to  execute 
and  accomplish  the  promises  peculiar  to  the  gospel  covenant, 
viz.  that  God  by  him  will  raise  np  the  truly  penitent  and  faith- 
ful to  the  possession  of  a  blessed  and  a  glorious  immortality  : 
for  the  sins  of  persons  thus  qualified,  shall  be  entirely  blotted 
out,  when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord,  Acts  iii,  10,  20,  xxvi,  18,  19.  Persons  of 
those  moral  dispositions  only  do  now^  receive  the  jiromisc, 
and  shall  hereafter  be  invested  with  the  actual  possession 
of  the  heavenly  inheritance,  or  eternal  life." 

As  this  kind  of  reasoning  will  not  probably  have  much 
weight  with  any  who  seriously  read  the  New  Testament,  or 
even  with  any  who  seriously  think  of  themselves  and  of  their 
Creator  ;  all  such  having  every  where,  in  all  ages,  found  need 
for  some  sort  of  atonement ;  therefore,  I  see  no  occasion  for 
showing  much  zeal  against  it  at  present.  For  I  am  far 
from  being  disposed  to  enter  into  concert  with  those  zealous 
Gfcntlemen,  who  would  seem  to  be  the  pillars  of  ortho- 
doxy, and  who  taking  it  deeply  to  heart,  that  such  doctrine 
as  is  now  quoted  should  step  into  the  fashion,  and,  with  a  self- 
satisfied  smile,  turn  aside  theirs,  as  worn  out  with  age,  to  be 
exposed  to  merciless  ridicule,  notwithstanding  all  the  fresh 
pains  taken  to  enrich  its  dress,  are,  therefore,  very  liberal  in 


236  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  IV. 

their  invectives  against  the  authors  of  the  Review;  whom, 
with  no  small  regret,  they  perceive  to  be  the  very  mouth  and 
index  of  the  fashion.  I  freely  allow  these  two  sorts  of  men  to 
scold  or  smile  at  each  other,  as  best  suits  their  several  humours. 
What  I  would  say  at  present  is,  that  the  bulk  of  mankind, 
who  are  less  practised  in  reasoning,  do  now  and  then  think 
more  seriously,  have  greater  sensibility  of  conscience,  and 
sooner  listen  to  its  simple  dictates ;  or,  at  least,  are  -more 
readily  affected,  when  reminded  of  them,  than  those  ingenious 
gentlemen,  who  have  studiously  acquired  a  habit  of  thinking 
artificially,  and  of  accommodating  the  words  of  their  religion, 
as  well  as  the  dictates  of  conscience,  to  fashionable,  enlarged, 
and  genteel  sentiment.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  body  of  the  peo- 
ple every  where,  have  always  been  fond  to  have  some  notion 
of  atonement  included  in  their  system  of  religion.  There- 
fore we  may  at  least  say,  that,  if  ever  the  doctrine  now  quoted 
shall  become  popular,  we  will  see  something  very  new  and 
uncommon. 

The  doctrine  contained  in  the  quotation  would  persuade 
us,  that  Jesus  Christ  died  and  rose  again,  to  confirm  and 
ratify  what  is  commonly  accounted  natural  religion,  and  to 
assure  us  of  its  sufficiency  to  lead  us  to  happiness.  The  popu- 
lar doctrine  does  indeed  come  to  the  same  issue  at  last ;  but 
then,  by  means  of  its  mystic  round-about  course,  it  has  this 
advantage  among  people,  who  have  not  been  able  to  reason 
away  their  conscience,  so  still  retain  some  sense  of  guilt,  that  it 
soothes  and  encourages  their  minds  with  some  notion  of  partial 
atonement,  connected  with  their  best  endeavours;  and  so  ani- 
mates those,  who  are  seriously  exercised  therein,  to  study 
greater  regularity  and  strictness  of  life,  than  is  commonly 
produced  by  any  doctrine  which  excludes  every  notion  of 
atonement  for  sin. 

I  shall  now  conclude  this  general  view  of  our  popular  and 
and  fashionable  writers,  with  observing,  what  will  readily 
occur  to  any  lover  of  the  ancient  gospel,  and  the  same  spirit 
runs  through  them  all,  though  it  takes  various  courses,  and 
assumes  various  shapes,  among  diiierent  classes  of  men,  in 
order  to  compass  the  same  end  ;  and  though  it  docs  not,  like 
the  Spirit  of  the  truth,  lead  its  several  children  to  very  cordial 
affection  toward  each  other. 

I  am,  &c. 


LET.   IV.]  THEKON'   AND    ASP^lbtO.  237 


LETTER  V 


Dear  Sir, 

YoTi  never  appear  in  a  more  amiable  li^ht  to  me,  than 
when  I  find  you  accounted  a  sick-brained  euthusiast.or  some- 
times, in  softer  terms,  a  man  of  a  good  enough  heart  indeed, 
but  a  weak  judgment,  by  many  who  would  take  it  much 
amiss  not  to  be  held  for  good  Christians.  These  men  despise 
you  on  the  account  of  the  likeness  your  doctrine  bears  to  that 
of  the  apostles,  or  rather  judging  yours  and  theirs  to  be  the 
same.  The  very  sound  of  imputed  sin,  or  imputed  righte- 
ousness, is  disagreeable  to  their  ears ;  and  the  subject  does  not 
appear  to  them  to  be  of  sufficient  importance  to  draw  their 
serious  attention,  or  to  lead  them  to  inquire  what  the  Scrip- 
ture says  or  means  concerning  it.  Thus  you  are  vile  in  their 
eyes  ;  and  it  v/ould  complete  my  esteem  for  you,  could  I  hear 
you  saying,  with  the  man  after  God's  own  heart.  And  I  will 
be  yet  more  vile  ihaii  thus. 

For  when  I  would  think  of  5rou  with  pleasure,  and  sym- 
pathize with  you  as  an  honourable  sufferer  by  the  reproach 
of  these  men,  my  satisfaction  is  abated,  by  hearing  the  ap- 
plause given  you  by  those  votaries  of  a  perverted  gospel,  who 
prefix  to  your  name  the  title  of  the  incomparable.  And 
Mhat  chiefly  gives  me  concern  is,  to  think,  that  in  your  wri- 
tings, any  just  occasion  should  be  given  to  expose  you  to 
their  commendation.  As  men  of  this  sort  bear  the  deepest 
grudge  against  the  ancient  gospel  preached  by  the  apostles, 
he  who  stands  high  in  their  esteem,  must  either  be  a  great 
d.'  ceiver,  or  greatly  deceived  himself,  or  at  least  much  mis- 
taken by  them.  As  I  am  far  from  bemg  willing  to  consider 
you  in  the  first  of  these  views,  I  shall  make  it  the  business 
of  this  letter  to  take  notice  of  some  of  the  leading  sentiments 
ard  ways  of  speaking,  which  1  apprehend  you  have  adopted 
frcm  such  men  without  sufficient  examination. 

As  man  was  formed  a  religious  creature,  and  mankind 
ev(  ry  where  behooved  to  have  some  religion,  great  men  and 
politicians  have  in  all  ages  taken  advantage  of  this,  and  insti- 
tuted some  public  leading  in  religion,  that  might  best  answer 
the  ends  and  purposes  of  worldly  society.     The  religion  of 


238  LETTEK3  O^  (LF.T.   IV. 

Jesus,  Avho  was  bom  to  bear  witness  to  the  tnith,  and  there- 
b/  0  reign,  serves  to  form  individuals  of  all  nations  to 
be  members  of  one  grand  society  in  the  world  to  come.  So 
itmiy  justly  be  reckoned  the  only  religion  in  the  world  that 
is  not  political,  or  w^hich  cannot  be  adapted  to  promote  any 
system  of  politics,  without  being  greatly  corrupted,  or  becom- 
ing the  reverse  of  what  it  was  when  first  instituted. 

As  human  nature  has  in  all  ages  been  found  to  be  depraved, 
and  men  every  where  acknowledged  to  be  more  or  less  blame- 
worthy, some  atonement  or  consideration  for  averting  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  Deity  has  readily  been  admitted  in  the  fra- 
ming of  all  national  religions.  In  this  respect  the  religion 
of  Jesus  stands  distinguished  above  all  others,  as  it  exhibits  an 
atonement  of  the  highest  dignity,  proved  to  be  efiectual  by 
the  highest  evidence. 

Religion  holds  and  draws  man  by  the  two  strongest  move- 
ments of  his  heart,  fear  and  hofc,  which  are  sometimes  re- 
solved into  one,  namely,  self -'preservation.  Real,  as  well  as 
fictitious  causes  of  fear,  are  every  where  ready  at  hand  ;  but 
in  all  religions,  except  the  true,  the  grounds  of  hope  are  en- 
tirely fictitious. 

The  true  religion  sets  forth  in  a  full  and  clear  light  a  dis- 
tinction in  man's  heart,  which,  though  not  utterly  lost,  has 
been  greatly  obscured  and  confounded  in  all  other  religions  ; 
even  a  distinction  betwixt  that  in  him  which  witnesses  for 
God,  and  the  principle  of  all  his  disloyalty ;  or,  in  a  fewer 
words,  betwixt  his  conscience  and  his  pride,  or  self-conceit. 
In  all  others  the  concerns  of  conscience  and  of  pridi,  are  in 
many  respects  intimately  blended  together,  so  that  agreeably 
to  the  genius  of  any  one  or  all  of  them,  a  man  may  be  very 
religiously,  very  conscientiously,  very  piously  or  devoutly 
proud.  But  the  word  of  God  which  is  quick  and  powerful, 
and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  fairly  divides  asunder 
these  two  real  opposites,  which  the  wise  and  religious  in  all 
ages  have  taken  much  pains  to  reconcile.  Paul  himself,  who 
had  been  from  his  youth  a  diligent  student  of  religion,  and  a 
notable  proficient,  assures  us,  that  he  did  not  understand  this 
distinction  till  he  became  a  Christian  :  and,  indeed,  no  body 
else  can  have  courage  to  attend  to  it. 

The  genuine  product  of  sinful  man's  conscience  is  fear  : 
and  he  can  have  no  hope  naturally,  but  what  is  suggested  by, 
or  grafted  on  his  pride. 

Having  promised  this  much  in  the  general,  we  may  now 
turn  our  eyes  more  particularly  to  those   who  are  most  sue- 


LET.  IV.]  THERON   AND  ASTASIO.  239 

cessfulin  propagating  a  perverted  gospel,  the  popular  preach- 
ers. These  men  do  indeed  press  very  hard  upon  the  con- 
science to  awaken  fear;  but  when  they  have  driven  the  seri- 
ous hearer  almost  to  despair,  by  an  awful  description  of  his 
miserable  condition,  and  by  representing  him  as  utterly  unable 
in  evv^^ry  respect  to  contribute  anything  toward  his  own  de 
liverance,  they  tit  last  condescend,  with  no  small  art  and  ad- 
dress, to  make  sorie  comfortable  exceptions  from  the  foregoing 
awful  doctrine,  which  comes  now  to  be  wrapped  up  in  more 
loose  and  less  absolute  terms.  And  the  audience  is  addressed 
thus:  "  Ye  will  do  for  yourselves  as  if  ye  were  to  do  all ; 
and  yet  overlook  all  ye  do,  as  if  ye  had  done  nothing.  Will 
ye  do  nothing  for  yourselves,  because  ye  cannot  do  all  ?  Lay 
down  no  such  impious  conclusion  against  your  own  souls." 

It  would  be  a  reflection  on  their  skill  and  understanding 
to  suppose,  that  such  reserves  were  not  all  along  in  their  eye  ; 
but,  then,  we  must  consider  that  it  was  by  no  means  seasonable 
to  disclose  them  till  now.  Now  is  described,  in  a  variety  of 
particulars,  a  convenient  resource  where  the  pride  of  the  seri- 
ous hearers  may  exercise  itself  with  great  hopes  of  success. 
And  he  is  animated  thus  :  "  Do  what  you  can,  and  it  may  be, 
while  you  are  doing  what  ye  cait  for  yourselves,  God  will  do 
for  you  what  yon  cannot.  'Tis  probable  this  course  may 
succeed.  God  is  good  and  merciful."  &;c.  iNow  the  field  is 
open  for  every  one  who  wills  to  run.  The  Scripture,  'tis 
true,  says,  It  is  not  of  him  that  willetli,  nor  of  him  that  run- 
neth, &LC.  However,  the  preacher  finds  it  necessary  on  this 
occasion,  to  warn  his  hearers  to  avoid  all  thoughts  of  this  doc- 
trine of  election  at  present  as  the  suggestions  of  Satan ;  be- 
cause (says  he)  there  is  in  this  doctrine  no  visible  ground  for 
frith  to  rest  upon.  And,  indeed,  it  must  be  owned,  that  this 
doctrine  affords  no  visible  resource  for  the  pride  of  uny  man  ; 
while  yet  it  alvva3^s  hath,  and  ever  will  prove  the  most  com- 
fortable of  all  resources  for  them  who  have  lost  sight  of 
every  other. 

If  wo  consider  these  gentlemen  in  their  assumed  character 
of  mediators  between  the  Deity  and  men,  we  shall  find  them, 
in  their  own  way,  very  careful  of  the  honour  of  both  parties. 
In  speaking  of  the  former,  they  can  declaim  in  such  a  man- 
ner alo  il  his  glory,  as  it  would  seem  no  flesh  had  any  room 
left  to  glory  in  his  presence.  In  their  animating  addresses 
to  men,  they  elevate  them  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  leave  them 
no  other  use  for  the  Deity,  but  to  be  an  assistant  to  their  pride. 
Meantime  they  are  far  from  forgetting  their  own  honour; 
for  while  they  are  thus  employed,  thoy  cflcctually  secure  to 


240  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   IV. 

themselves  the  devotion  of  the  people,  who  had  their  concur- 
rence necessary  to  help  them  in  putting  forth  their  acts  of 
faith,  of  which  it  is  difficult  to  form  any  distinct  notion  unless 
we  consider  them  as  acts  of  sympathy,  or  rather  sympathetic 
feelings  corresponding  with  the  doleful  or  animating  notes  of 
the  preacher,  by  turns.  Such  of  the  hearers  as  may  be 
reckoned  proper  adepts  in  this  doctrine,  must  find  no  small 
pleasure  in  these  transitions  from  fear  to  hope,  wherein  they 
behold  the  success  of  their  serious  endeavours,  and  find  an 
exquisite  gratification  of  their  pride.  Here  we  are  readily 
reminded  of  the  desirable  things,  the  incentives  to,  and  ob- 
jects of  religious  desire »  against  which  the  Divine  judgments 
are  so  often  pointed  in  the  prophetic  writhigs. 

The  forementioned  gratification  may,  I  think,  be  justly 
deemed  the  highest  criminal  pleasure  that  human  nature  is 
capable  of  We  need  not  wonder,  then,  that  such  people 
should  highly  adore  the  ministers  of  such  pleasure  ;  and  that 
they  should  show  but  a  very  cold  regard  to  the  writings  of 
the  apostles,  which  are  extremely  unfit  for  gratifying  their 
favourite  passion.  Accordingly,  we  may  daily  perceive,  or, 
as  often  as  the  trial  is  made,  that  nothing  is  more  odious  to 
these  people  than  to  hear  of  the  comfort  of  the  guiky  arising 
solely  from  the  simple  belief  of  the  truth,  or,  v\4iich  is  the  same 
thing,  from  the  bare  truth  itself  To  see  one  of  those  people 
converted  to  Christianity,  would  be  seeing  such  another  mira- 
cle (abating  the  extraordinary  signs)  as  the  conversion  of 
Paul.  If  we  have  known  any  such  converts,  we  have  no 
doubt  ohserved  them  showing  the  like  remorse  and  shame  as 
upon  the  gratification  of  any  other  guilty  passion. 

Though  it  is  natural  to  expect,  that  these  preachers,  in  their 
double  dealing  with  God  and  man,  should  be  expert  in  using 
the  maxim.  That  the  perfection  of  art  lies  in  concealing  the 
artifice ;  yet  while  they  proceed,  twisting  together  the  lan- 
guage, or  even  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture  wnth  their  own, 
the  difference  betwixt  the  former  and  the  latter,  v/hich  is  in- 
deed very  great,  and  the  absurdity  of  joining  them  together, 
must  often  strike  our  eyes  if  we  do  not  shut  them.  After 
they  have  told  us  at  large,  that  we  can  do  nothing  to  justify 
ourselves,  we  may  perceive  them  greatly  embarrassed  in  direct- 
ing us,  what  we  must  do  in  order  to  attain  justification. 
They  say,  and  unsay,  so  much  about  working  and  doing,  that 
though  it  is  evident  all  along,  that  the  doing  of  something  is 
necessary;  yet  neither  they  nor  their  hearers  can  have  any 
distinct  notion  of  vvhat  is  to  be  done.  In  this  respect  they 
answer  exactly  to  the  description  given  b}^  Paul  of  their  pre- 


LET.    v.]  THEllON   A\D    ASPASIO.  241 

decessois,  who  swerved  from  the  faith  in  much  the  same  man- 
ner. In  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy,  having-  made  mention  of 
faith  unfeigned,  he  adds,  From  which  some  have  sicerved,  have 
turned  aside  unto  vain  jangling,  desiring  to  be  teachers  of 
the  law,  understanding  neither  whai  they  say  nor  xohereof  they 
ajfirm.  Accordingly,  we  find  them,  for  the  ease  of  their  own 
understanding-,  and  that  of  their  hearers,  betaking  themselves 
alternately,  now  to  reasoning  agreeably  to  nature,  then  to 
what  they  call  mystery,  or  rather  their  favourite  depths. 

Sometimes,  they  take  great  pains  to  show  us  how  very  little 
we  do  when  we  put  forth  an  act  of  faith;  yet,  again,  this  act, 
however  little,  when  narrowly  inspected,  is  found  to  contain 
such  a  variety  of  particular  acts  of  great  importance,  as  would 
require  a  whole  sermon  to  display  them.  It  now  resembles  a 
lillle  green  hud,  containing  both  the  flower  and  the  fruit ; 
though  the  several  parts,  and  the  leaves  of  them,  are  not  yet  un- 
folded, nor  appear  to  sight ;  it  is  found  to  contain  in  miniature, 
or  in  embryo,  every  justifying  qualification  in  the  natural  way. 
Or,  we  may  say,  it  resembles  a  small  piece  of  paper,  which, 
when  put  in  the  scale,  is  found  so  light  as  scarcely  to  move  the 
balance,' but  when  examined  by  the  eye,  is  found  to  be  a  note 
of  many  thousand  pounds  value.  This  small  piece  of  paper 
we  are  to  hold  forth  for  our  justification  ;  and  though  we  our- 
selves are,  in  our  secret  thoughts,  sufficiently  sensible  of  its 
value,  we  are  to  hold  it  forth,  humbly  acknowledging  that  it 
is  light  even  as  vanit}-,  and  thankfully  to  receive  in  return  the 
expected  benefit,  under  the  notion  of  a  mere  favour  or  free 
gift  bestowed  upon  us,  without  money  and  without  price.  For 
thus  Mr.  Boston  presumes  we  will  behave  when  under  right 
influence ;  "  Ye  will  do  for  yourselves  as  if  ye  were  to  do 
all ;  and  yet  overlook  all  ye  do,  as  if  ye  had  done  nothing^ 

As  it  is  in  confounding  the  simple  notion  of  the  faith  given 
us  in  the  Scripture,  that  such  men  more  especially  play  their 
game,  and  put  the  change  upon  us,  leading  us  most  effectu- 
ally to  establish  our  own  righteousness,  while  they  entertain 
our  ears  with  many  swelling  words  of  vanity  concerning  the 
Divine;  we  may  find  them,  among  other  arts,  very  remark- 
able for  an  uncommon  use  of  similitudes  and  metaphorical  ex- 
pressions in  their  descriptions  of  faith.  The  common  use  of 
these  is  to  help  our  attention  and  understanding  to  a  more 
ready  apprehension  of  the  things  reported  to  us.  Their  use 
of  them  serves  to  amuse  our  fancy,  and  to  confound  our  under- 
standing; while  the  main  tendency  of  the  discourse  is,  to  stimu- 
late our  pride,  and  set  in  motion  our  several  passions  in  sub- 
serviency thereto.  They  give  us  parables  without  things, 
21 


242  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V- 

mere  shells  without  kernels.  We  are  led  to  expect  a  sub- 
stance but  grasp  at  a  shadow.  When  the  images  are  remov- 
ed, we  find  no  reality  remaining.  Accordingly,  we  find  they 
seldom  or  never  incline  to  tell  us  what  they  mean  hy  faith,  but 
by  some  laboured  circumlocutions.  Their  conduct  in  this 
respect  is  not  unlike  what  we  have  heard  said  of  men  dexterous 
in  another  sort  of  traffic. 

"  Unwillingly  to  be  short  or  plain 
In  any  thing  concerning  gain." 

They  constantly  represent  faith  to  us  as  furnished  with  hands, 
feet,  wings,  (fee,  or  under  the  notion  of  some  instrument  opera- 
ting our  peace  with  the  Deity.  Accordingly,  they  ascribe 
to  it  various  ideas  of  motion  and  action  ;  and  though  a  very 
simple  motion  well  meant  may  do  the  business,  yet  that  which 
has  the  greatest  activity  in  it,  is  commended  to  us  as  by  far 
the  best.  Thus  we  are  taught  by  Mr.  R.  Erskine,  "  Though 
a  slow  and  simple  motion,  if  it  be  real  and  upright,  is  what 
has  the  promise.  Him  that  comcth  he  will  in  nmcise  cast  out ; 
yet  the  Scripture  speaks  of  a  hasting,  striving,  running,  fight- 
ing, and  wrestling,  that  should  be  aimed  at.  A  man  that  is 
running  from  the  greatest  misery  to  the  greatest  happiness, 
would  endeavour  to  have  his  motion  such,  as  would  evidence 
his  hatred  to  the  one,  and  his  great  liking  to  the  other."  And 
he  adds  in  the  same  sermon*  the  following  encouragement  to 
beginners :  "  They  who  would  fain  mint  to  get  up  unto  their 
feet,  may  read  a  strong  encouragement  from  a  preventing  call 
of  God  to  them  to  rise,  and  come  awa}^"  If  we  deprive 
their  faith  of  its  hands,  feet,  and  every  idea  of  motion,  we 
shall  be  at  the  greatest  loss  to  know  what  it  is ;  whereas  no- 
thing is  more  easy  to  be  understood  than  the  belief  of  a  truth, 
or  one's  being  persuaded,  that  a  report  is  true.  It  is  likewise 
easy  to  be  understood,  that  no  small  motion  is  produced  in  our 
minds  by  doubtfulness,  anxiety,  and  our  various  efforts  to  quiet 
ourselves;  but  no  sooner  does  the  salutary  truth  appear,  than 
all  that  motion  ceases.  If  an  alchymist,  after  much  fruitless 
labour,  should,  from  some  unexpected  hand,  hear  and  under- 
stand the  secret  of  making  gold,  all  his  former  perplexity 
would  be  at  an  end,  and  he  would  then  begin  to  labour  upon 
a  more  joyful  and  hopeful  plan.  Nor  would  he  grudge  to 
admit  the  conviction  of  the  vanity  of  all  his  former  skill, 
labour,  and  expense. 

Another  of  the  arts  of  these  preachers,  consists  in  their  use  of 


LnhXX^ii  Christ's  love-suit.      Song  ii,  13,  Arise,  &.c. 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  243 

scholastic  words.  These  words,  like  the  cups  and  balls  of  jug- 
glers, serve  them  for  a  variety  of  purposes.  By  these,  they 
sometimes  blindfold  the  people,  and  sometimes  make  themstare, 
while  they  imagine  some  profound  meaning  to  be  contained 
in  them ;  and  at  any  rate,  these  words  serve  to  confound  and 
perplex  the  plain  simple  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as  well  as  to 
furnish  upon  occasions  no  small  matter  of  idle  disputation 
among  the  teachers.  I  shall  only  point  at  one  instance.  Mr. 
E.  Erskine  divides  the  sufficiency  of  the  atonement  into  a 
threefold  distinction.  The  first  he  calls  intrinsic,  the  second 
ord'uidU,  and  the  third  legal*  Then,  after  giving  his  expli» 
cation  of  them,  he  very  gravely  tells  us  which  of  these  faith 
has  to  do  with,  and  which  not.  The  preachers  of  his  doc- 
trine are  at  present  at  no  small  variance  as  to  the  proper  use 
of  these  words,  publishing  ingenious  controversies  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  are  disposed  to  read  them.  The  poor 
people,  who  cannot  well  fathom  such  depths,  must  be  left  to 
follow  the  guides  they  severally  most  admire. 

We  may  also  take  notice  of  the  great  ambiguity  of  the 
words  and  phrases  which  have  been  used  on  this  subject,  and 
the  changes  which  have  happened  in  them ;  some  falling  into 
disrepute,  and  replaced  by  others  of  less  obnoxious  sound : 
for  no  stone  has  been  left  unturned  to  intercept  the  light  of 
the  sacred  truth,  and  decoy  our  attention  with  an  endless 
variety  of  the  most  abominable  jargon  about  faith.  The  time 
and  pains  taken  by  the  apostles,  in  holding  forth  the  heavenly 
ray  of  hope,  have  been  employed  by  thousands  of  preachers 
in  directing  us  how  to  search  for  farthings  in  a  dunghill. — 
The  word  merit,  as  applied  to  our  faith  or  our  endeavours 
after  it,  has  generally  fallen  into  disrepute  among  the  Pro- 
testants, as  having  been  long  tarnished  by  Popish  fingers. 
Instead  of  it  condition  is  often  used  with  approbation.  Yet 
this  has  likewise  become  suspected ;  and  many  preachers 
scruple  to  use  it  without  clogging  it  with  some  explication. 
Instrumoit,  I  think,  is  now  the  word  least  accepted  against. 
And  this  can  serve  us  for  receiving,  applying,  closing  with, 
and  taking  hold  of  the  proposed  benefit.  And  this  instru- 
ment is  sometimes  a  mouth  for  receiving,  and  sometimes  a 
hand  for  taking  and  giving.  We  are  likewise  told,  that  faith 
has  two  hands;  one  for  taking  home  Christ  to  ourselves,  and 
another  for  giving  away  ourselves  to  Christ.  But  if  faith 
must  be  called  an  instrument,  and  if  it  be  at  the  same  time 

*  See  his  sermon  on  Heb.  xi,  7,  By  faith  Noah,  &c.,  in  a  volume  of 
his  sermons  printed  al  Edinburgh,  1755. 


244  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

maintained  that  justification  comes  by  faith  only  ;  then  I  am 
at  full  liberty  to  affirm,  that  he  who  is  possessed  of  the  instru- 
ment, hand  or  mouth,  is  already  justified  without  regard  to 
his  using  the  instrument,  his  taking  or  giving  with  the  hand, 
or  receiving  with  the  mouth.  Thus,  the  artifice  by  which 
they  would  impose  upon  us  may  be  very  easily  discerned. 

We  also  hear  much  of  terms.  If  they  venture  to  tell  us, 
that  we  are  justified  by  a  righteousness  imputed  to  us,  they 
must  add,  ui^on  the  terms  of  the  gospel.  Accordingly,  they 
warmly  exhort  to  comply  with,  and  accept  of  the  terms,  or  to 
receive  the  benefit  on  gospel-terms.  Thus  we  are  taught  to 
treat  the  Deity,  as  free  states  or  sovereign  princes  do  with 
each  other ;  the  one  obtaining  peace  of  the  other  by 
complying  with  his  terms.  In  short,  these  men  will  make 
a  thousand  shifts  rather  than  speak  plain  truth.  Let  all 
the  prophets  and  apostles  be  consulted  upon  the  question. 
What  is  required  of  us  in  order  to  acceptance  with  God  1 
we  will  find  their  mianimous  reply  to  be.  Ever?/  tiling  or 
nothing ;  for  no  trimming  is  countenanced  among  them. — 
If  we  attempt  to  do  in  any  sense,  w^e  bind  ourselves  to  do  all ; 
yea,  the  least  attempt  to  do  in  this  matter,  is  shown  to  be  dam- 
nably criminal.  What,  then,  is  the  ground  of  hope  1  The 
Divine  truth  itself 

Where  shall  w^e  find  among  the  popular  preachers  that 
unreserved  freedom  of  speech  which  so  well  becomes  the 
declaration  of  Divine  truth  7  We  shall  seldom  find  them 
speaking  anything  like  the  language  of  the  gospel,  without 
cautioning,  mincing,  or  clogging  it  with  some  exceptive,  but, 
if,  only,  though,  &lc.  If  they  sometimes  tell  us,  that  nothing 
is  required  of  us  in  order  to  our  peace  with  God,  they  quickly 
add,  but  a  few  particulars  ;  which  at  present  must  be  consid- 
ered as  coming  up  the  length  of  something,  but  which  in  an- 
other chapter,  when  they  have  more  leisure  to  expatiate  upon 
them,  will  be  found  to  contain  every  thing. 

I  AM  sorry  to  find  that  the  Dialogues,  which  do  indeed 
contain  several  bold  strokes,  uncommon  to  the  popular  preach- 
ers, should  yet,  in  too  many  places,  be  tainted  with  their  nox- 
ious influence.  But  what  author  can  drink  out  of  such 
fountains,  and  not  transmit  some  of  their  qualities  into  his 
writings  ?  We  are,  indeed,  too  apt  to  be  ensnared  by  reverence 
for  men,  in  competition  with  our  common  Maker.  We  are 
afraid,  or  we  think  it  ungentecl,  to  say  with  confidence,  Lei 
God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar. 

Aspasio,  in  his  fourth  letter  to  Theron,  says,  or,  which  is 


LET.  v.]  THEUON  AND  ASPASIO.  245 

the  same  thing,  adopts  with  approbation  the  following  words  :t 
*'  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  so  called,  (the  Just  One,)  not 
so  much  for  having  fulfilled  all  righteousness  in  his  own  per- 
son, and  performed  an  unsinning  obedience  to  the  will  of  God, 
as  because  by  his  righteousness  imputed  to  us,  we  also,  upon 
the  terms*  of  the  gospel,  are  justified,  or  accounted  righteous 
before  God." 

A  note  is  subjoined,  cautioning  what  is  said  of  terms,  in 
the  following  manner  :  *  "  That  is,  freely  ;  or,  as  the  pro- 
phet speaks,  ivithout  money  and  without  price.  For  nothing 
is  requisite,  in  order  to  a  participation  of  Christ  and  his  bene- 
fits, but  a  conviction  of  our  extreme  need,  and  an  humble 
desire  to  receive  them ;  receive  them  as  gifts  of  pure  grace, 
to  the  most  undeserving  creatures.  This  point,  which 
is  so  intimately  connected  with  our  comfort  and  hope,  the 
reader  may  see  more  fully  stated  in  Dialogue  15."  If  we 
turn  our  eyes  to  Dialogue  15,  which  contains,  indeed,  some 
excellent  and  just  things,  we  find  Aspasio  speaking  thus: 
"  So  that  nothing  is  required,  in  order  to  our  participation  of 
Christ  and  his  benefits,  but  a  conviction  of  our  need,  a  sense 
of  their  worth,  and  a  willingness  to  receive  them  in  the  ap- 
pointed way ;  that  is,  freely,  and  as  matter  of  pure  grace."  J 

According  to  this  dialogue,  Theron,  in  order  to  his  partici- 
pation of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  has  no  occasion  for  any 
righteousness  of  his  own,  yea,  none  but  such  "  as  the  Samari- 
tan woman  and  Zaccheus  the  publican  possessed;  or  such  as 
the  Philippian  jailor  and  the  profligate  Corinthians  might 
boucii."  He  is  divested  of  every  qualification  but  extreme 
indigence,  guilt,  and  unworthiness  ;  of  every  recommendation 
but  that  of  extreme  wretchedness:  and  not  our  own  duty  and 
obedience,  but  Christ's  suffering  and  Christ's  obedience,  are 
declared  to  be  the  terms.  Thus  it  would  seem  the  nail  is 
thoroughly  driven,  and  no  room  left  for  any  reserve.  But, 
then,  we  must  carefully  remember,  that  though  Theron  is  di- 
vested of  all  righteousness  of  his  own,  of  every  qualification 
and  every  recommendation,  he  must  yet  be  well  provided  with 
requisites,  even  such  as  may  embolden  him  to  make  the  appro- 
priation, which  is  declared  to  be  essential  to  faith.  Here  for 
distinction's  sake,  I  am  obliged  to  call  the  sovereign  cure  sent 
from  heaven  to  relieve  the  guilty,  by  the  name  of  the  sole 
requisite.  And  I  do  it  with  the  more  pleasure,,  that  it  so 
readily  calls  to  mind  that  significant  saying  of  Jesus,  One 
thing  is  needful.     Now  I  beg  leave  to  make  a  few  remarks. 

t  Vol.  2,  pp.  336,  337.  t  Vol.  3,  p.  239. 

21* 


246  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

Theron,  as  guilty  and  unworthy,  as  destitute  of  righteous- 
ness, of  every  qualification  and  recommendation,  is  perfectly 
on  a  level  with  all  his  fellow  creatures,  and  can  see  no  differ- 
ence whatsoever  betwixt  himself  and  those  who  shall  eternally 
perish.  Thus,  indeed,  the  gospel  considers  whom  it  relieves ; 
thus  all  who  are  relieved  consider  themselves,  Avhen  they  are 
first  comforted  by  it,  or  when  they  believe  it :  and  the  gospel, 
when  it  first  speaks  relief  to  them,  intimates  no  difference 
betwixt  them  and  others.  On  the  other  hand,  Theron,  as  fur- 
nished with  his  requisite,  must  perceive  a  manifest  difference 
betwixt  himself  and  others  ;  such  a  difTerence  as  gives  all  the 
promises  a  peculiar  direction  to  him,  and  such  others  as  are,  I 
must  not  say  qualified  here,  but  furnished  with  the  proper 
requisites  as  he  is;  such  a  difterence  as  may  encourage  him 
to  consider  himselfasa  friend  ofGod,  and  an  heirof  eternal  life, 
and  so  affirm  what  is  accounted  essential  to  faith.  The  faith, 
then,  by  which  Theron  is  justified,  must  be  the  persuasion  of 
the  reality  of  this  difference.  Though  the  apostles  declared 
every  one  to  be  born  of  God,  and  to  have  eternal  life,  who 
believed  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ ;  yet  that  ancient  truth  is  now 
considered  among  us  modern  Christians  as  a  very  insipid 
tale :  we  have  come  the  length  to  say  gravely,  we  see  not 
what  comfort  or  benefit  can  be  derived  from  it.  According 
to  what  is  now  imagined,  the  first  Christians,  when  they  be- 
lieved the  truth,  wanted  the  very  essence  of  faith  ;  and  beyond 
all  peradventure  they  Avanted  what  is  now  called  so.  For 
what  else  is  the  essence  of  modern  faith,  but  mere  self-conceit, 
maintained  with  a  high  hand,  and  dignified  under  many  sacred 
names,  as  the  leading  principle  of  religion  ?  But  the  essence 
of  their  faith  was  the  eternal  God :  This  is  life  eternal,  to 
know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast 
sent. 

Aspasio,  I  think,  will  agree  with  me  in  saying,  that  without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,  or  that  nothing  is  well  pleas- 
ing to  God  about  any  man  till  he  believes.  And  I  am  ready 
to  agree  with  him  in  maintaining,  that  the  proper  scriptural 
faith  cannot  be  where  any  thing  essential  to  it  is  wanting  ;  and 
the  Scripture  will  keep  us  both  in  countenance,  if  we  should 
affirm  that  no  man,  before  he  believes,  can  have  any  ground  of 
hope  but  what  is  fictitious  and  vain. 

Now  Theron  does  not  arrive  at  the  faith  taught  him  by 
Aspasio,  till  toward  the  tatter  end  of  Dialogue  16,  and  scarcely 
then.  For  past  the  middle  of  it,  after  many  reasonings 
against  the  appropriation  he  is  exhorted  to  make,  he  still 
anxiously  says,  "  My  soul  is  in  jeopardy,"  p.  293.     And  all 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  A3PASI0.  247 

that  we  can  hear  from  him  at  last,  is  much  liker  the  lang-uagc 
of  a  fond,  selfish  presumption,  not  sufficiently  assured,  than  of 
that  boldness  and  confidence,  whicli  so  well  becomes  a  man 
affirming  a  Divine  truth,  wherein  his  own  pride  is  no  way 
flattered  :  pages  305,  306.  "  May  I  then  believe — that — all 
— are — mine'.^"  follows  a  modest  complaint  of  remissness  and 
inactivity;  then,  p.  306,  "O!  that  I  may  arise,  and  with 
the  Divine  assistance,  shake  off  this  stupor  of  unbelief?"  He 
is  very  willing  to  believe,  that  he  is  a  gracious  person,  but 
his  confidence  fails  him;  and  a  considerable  part  of  Aspasio's 
reasoning  with  him  is  to  the  same  purpose,  as  if  he  were  com- 
forting the  lady  described  in  these  well-known  lines: 

'■  Tiuo'  hopes  of  coiitiiuliction  oft  .she'll  say, 
31ethiiiks!  I  look  so  wretchedly  to-day!" 

He  often  compliments  and  encourages  him  upon  his  com- 
plaints, extracting  thence  some  hopeful  sign  or  other ;  where- 
as, an  apostle  would  have  enforced  them,  and  given  him  some 
broader  foundation  for  them  ;  would  have  declared  the  Divine 
truth,  which  respects  no  man's  person ;  and  if  he  gave  not 
credit  to  it,  instead  of  sympathizing  with  him,  declared  the 
judgment  of  God  against  him.  But  whatever  he  called  faith, 
I  think  we  are  not  led  to  consider  Theron  as  having  arrived 
at  his  faith,  till  the  period  above  pointed  at.  He  indeed  says, 
not  far  from  the  end  of  Dialogue  15,  p.  256,  "  I  am  ready  to 
declare,  in  the  language  of  Agrippa,  almost  thou  persuadest 
me  to  commence  a  believer."  And  at  the  very  end  of  that 
dialogue,  he  aims  strongly  at  it.  But  as  he  cannot  be  said 
to  profess  the  faith  while  he  persists  disputing  against  it,  we 
cannot  well  look  on  him  as  a  believer,  till  toward  the  close  of 
Dialogue  16,  where  his  objections  grow  languid ;  and,  then, 
though  we  cannot  say  he  is  fully  persuaded,  yet  we  may  say 
according  to  the  popular  style,  he  desires  to  believe. 

If,  then,  I  am  allowed  to  say,  that  faith  is  the  entrance  into 
the  Christian  religion,  and  that  there  can  be  no  true  piety  nor 
good  hope  but  what  follows  upon  it,  I  must  at  the  same  time 
be  allowed  to  express  some  surprise  at  finding  Theron  in  very 
hopeful  circumstances,  while  he  is  yet  an  unbeliever,  so  can- 
not with  any  propriety  be  called  a  Christian.  For  Aspasio 
often  congratulates  him  on  the  happy  change  he  perceives  in 
his  condhion ;  and  while  Theron  cannot  be  brought  to  believe, 
Aspasio  beholds  his  title  perfectly  clear  to  every  heavenly  bless- 
ing. I  see  no  way  of  accounting  for  this,  unless  we  say,  that 
Aspasio  finds  the  unbelieving  Theron  furnished  with  every 
requisite  fit  to  embolden  him   to  claim,  to  accept,  and  to  pes- 


248  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

sess ;  or,  in  other  words,  lie  plainly  sees  that  Theron  is  a  sin- 
cere penitent,  and  commenced  a  good  and  righteous  man ; 
and,  therefore,  is  surprised  why  he  will  not  entertain  a  better 
opinion  of  himself,  and  put  an  end  to  his  anxiety,  by  exerting 
the  appropriating  act  of  faith,  or  which  is  the  same  thing,  by 
affirming  with  confidence  the  goodness  of  his  title  to  life.  I 
apprehend,  that  an  expert  preacher,  who  would  lead  me  to 
hope  for  life  by  repentance  in  the  natural  way,  might  pursue 
his  plan  with  much  less  embarrassment,  by  haranguing  in  the 
manner  many  have  done  on  that  passage  of  Ezekiel,  which 
was  considered  in  a  former  letter :  /  have  no  'pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  ivay, 
and  live. 

It  is  now  time  to  take  some  notice  of  the  requisites  insisted 
for,  in  order  that  one's  title  to  the  blessing  may  appear;  con- 
viction, &c. 

One  must  have  seen  little  of  the  deceits  of  the  popular  ser- 
mons, if  he  has  not  perceived  what  large  work  is  cut  out  for 
the  pride  of  the  devotee,  in  the  doctrine  about  convictions  of 
guilt.  So  many  directions  are  given,  such  care  and  pains, 
and  such  exercises  of  mind  are  required,  for  attaining  proper 
convictions  that  it  is  by  no  means  to  be  wondered  at,  if  the  soul 
devoutly  employed  in  these,  should  entertain  some  question  like 
this  :  Whether  the  pains  taken  to  find  himself  guilty,  and  the 
distinction  he  thereby  acquires  above  the  careless  and  pro- 
fane, may  not  go  far  to  counterbalance  all  the  guilt  he  comes 
in  this  way  to  be  sensible  of? 

Here,  w^e  may  stop  a  little,  and  see  what  the  Scripture 
teaches  on  this  head.  It  will  support  us  in  saying,  that  sin  and 
misery  are  inseparably  connected ;  that  man  is  an  object  of 
mercy  by  that  which  constitutes  him  miserable,  or  fixes  and 
ascertains  his  misery,  whether  that  misery  be  presently  felt 
in  any  intense  degree  or  not.  If  two  men  are  led  to  execu- 
tion for  the  same  crime,  the  one  overwhelmed  in  sorrow,  and 
the  other  elevated  to  noisy  mirth  by  strong  drink,  we  justly 
reckon  the  condition  of  the  latter  to  be  fully  as  miserable  as 
the  former,  and  if  mercy  respects  mere  misery,  wretchedness, 
and  unworthiness,  it  will  certainly  as  readily  regard  the  insen- 
sible person  as  him  who  has  the  quickest  feeling  of  what  is 
before  him  :  otherwise  it  behooved  to  regard  the  one  as  more 
worthy  than  his  fellow  ;  which  would  be  inconsistent  with  the 
nature  of  mercy,  at  least  that  of  Divine  mercy ;  for  wherever 
the  least  degree  of  worth  appears,  there  the  province  of  mercy 
ceases,  and  that  of  justice  and  equity  takes  place. 


LET.    v.]  TIIKROX    AND  ASl'ASIO.  249 

Happy  is  it  for  men,  that  th(3  Deity  does  not  consiJer  our 
condition  in  the  manner  that  we  commonly  do.  Perhaps  tho 
world  never  made  a  finer  appearance  as  to  all  that  is  admired 
in  it,  than  when  the  Divine  compassion  to  the  nations  was 
manifested.  The  Roman  power  and  laws  had  civilized  the 
world;  the  Greeks  had  enlightened  it  with  learning  and  wis- 
dom ;  and  the  Jews  diffused  piety  every  where.  Peace,  with 
her  many  advantages  prevailed,  to  render  the  life  of  men 
more  agreeable.  But  how  did  it  then  appear  in  the  eye  of 
the  Deity?  Isaiah  informs  us:  Darkness  shall  cover  the 
earth,  and ;  gro^s  darkness  the  people  ;  but  the  Lord  shall 
arise, — and  his  glory  shall  be  seen.  Were  we  to  take  a 
summary  view  of  the  images  used  to  describe  the  state  of  the 
world  then,  we  should  find  it  now  considered  under  the  no- 
tion of  a  great  infirmary  of  sick,  maimed,  and  bruised  ;  than 
under  that  of  a  vast  and  darksome  dungeon,  filled  with  crimi- 
nals in  chains,  ready  for  execution,  <fec.  Moreover,  those 
to  whom  mercy  was  shown,  are  represented  as  extremely  in- 
sensible of  their  real  condition  as  past  feeling,  yea,  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins.  But,  says  the  messengers  of  glad  tidings 
to  the  heathen,  God,  icho  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  ivith  Christ  [by  grace  ye  are  saved.) 

The  Divine  mercy  is  not  narrow  and  limited,  nor,  like 
that  of  man,  backward  to  interpose,  till  some  inviting  and 
amiable  requisite  appear  in  the  object.  No  ;  it  prevents  the 
most  hardened  rebels,  and  brings  every  requisite  along  with 
it :  or  rather  the  Divine  grace  operates  all  its  effects  by  the 
sole  requisite,  the  righteousness  which  it  brings  to  view.  It 
reigns  among  the  insensible  and  the  dead  through  that  righ- 
teousness unto  eternal  life.  If  we  inquire  at  Paul,  why 
the  gospel  is  called  the  power  of  God  to  save  men,  he  tells 
us,  For  therein  is  t)e  righteousness  of  God,  revealed.  If  we 
ask  again,  how  the  righteousness  it  reveals  appears  to  be  Di- 
vine, he  adds,  For  the  xorath  of  God.  is  revealed  from  heave?/, 
against  all  ungodliness  aadunrightcousness  of  memvho hold 
ike  truth  inunrighteousn.e.^s.  In  the  death  of  Christ,  where 
wrath  was  evidently  revealed  from  heaven,  we  have  the 
broadest  view  of  the  Divine  displeasure  against  all  unrighte- 
ousness of  men,  as  well  as  a  high  proof  illustrated  by  his  resur- 
rection, how  differently  God  judges  of  righteousness  from 
what  men  do :  that  which  was  highly  esteemed  among  men, 
being  found  to  be  an  abomination  in  his  fight ;  and  that  which 
was  disallowed  of  men,  found  to  be  chosen  of  God  and  pre- 
cious.     In  the  death  of  Christ,  then,  is  held  forth  the  broadest 


250  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Y. 

view  of  human  guilt  and  misery,  and  the  clearest  discovery 
of  the  all-sufficient  remedy.  There  Divine  judgment  itself 
is  made  to  rest  for  a  light  to  the  nations.  There  is  no  occa- 
sion, then,  for  popular  preachers  to  lead  men  through  their 
idle  process  of  a  law-work,  before  they  will  condescend  to 
display  the  glad  tidings  before  them. 

If  Christian  teachers  would  imitate  the  apostles  in  preach- 
ing, let  them  hold  forth  the  sacred  truth,  Christ  crucihed.the 
Divine  wisdom  and  power  to  salvation  ;  and  so  leave  it  wholly 
to  God  to  make  converts.  The  merciful  truth  is  all-sufficient 
to  save.  It  needs  no  requisite,  no  preparative  from  man  to 
produce  a  relish  for  it.  It  creates  a  relish  for  itself;  it 
answers  to  the  majesty  of  him  Avhose  voice  it  is,  and  who 
framed  the  conscience  of  man  for  hearing  his  voice  ]  it  wounds 
and  it  heals ;  it  kills  and  it  makes  alive ;  it  blocks  up  and 
darkens  all  the  resources  of  the  pride  of  man,  in  the  light 
of  which  he  formerly  walked  and  lived ;  and  it  brings  him 
light  and  life  from  an  unexpected  quarter,  by  opening,  as  it 
were,  a  window  in  Heaven.  No  lecture  about  any  law  can 
affect  the  conscience  of  man  like  this  truth,  which  shows 
the  Divine  law  magnified  and  honoured  in  the  most  eminent 
manner;  which  demonstrates  the  Deity  to  be  inflexibly  in 
earnest  as  to  every  word  spoken  in  his  perfect  law,  and  so  de- 
molishes all  the  subterfuges  of  human  pride.  What  pre- 
parative, what  requisite,  had  Paul  when  the  merciful  truth 
surprised  him  on  the  road  to  Damascus  ?  And  if  we  in- 
quire what  effect  it  had  upon  him,  we  find  it  made  such  a 
revolution  in  his  sentiments,  and  all  the  springs  of  his  life, 
as  if  we  should  see  the  course  of  a  mighty  torrent  changed 
from  east  to  west  by  the  shock  of  an  earthquake.  The  ex- 
traordinary signs  affecting  his  body,  showed  what  befel  his 
mind.  The  miraculous  shutting,  and  the  miraculous  open- 
ing of  his  eyes,  were  signs  of  that  turning  from  darkness  to 
light,  which  Jesus  told  him  his  ministry  was  to  operate  among 
the  Gentiles :  and  he  tells  us  himself,  he  was  designed  for  a 
jjattc  rn  to  them  which  should  hereafter  believe  to  life  everlasting. 

It  is  likewise  true,  that  convictions  of  guilt  are  often  awa- 
kened by  other  means  than  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  such  as 
sickness,  the  approach  of  death,  and  other  calamities.  More- 
over, though  nothing  less  than  the  saving  truth  can  thoroughly 
wound  the  root  and  principle  of  man's  alienation  from  his 
Maker,  yet  many  convictions  are  often  produced  by  a  partial 
view  of  its  evidence,  which  so  nearly  resemble  those  which 
issue  in  repentance  unto  life,  that  nothing  but  the  event  can 
distinguish  them.     We  cannot,  therefore,  judge  merely  from 


LET.  v.]  THF.RON  AND  ASPaSIO.  251 

the  disquiet  produced  in  any  man's  mind  by  a  sense  of  guilt, 
whether  his  convictions  will  land  in  the  saving  knowledge 
of  the  truth  or  not ;  so  cannot  have  the  least  ground  to  sug- 
gest to  him  any  hopeful  symptom  in  his  condition  from  thence. 
But  this  much  I  think  may  be  said,  that  if  we  find  any  man 
heartily  pinched  with  a  sense  of  guilt,  we  have  good  reason 
to  conclude,  that  it  is  sore  against  his  will.  For  no  man  wil- 
lingly puts  a  thorn  deeper  into  his  own  flesh  than  he  can  easily 
pull  it  out  again.  I  must  frankly  own,  then,  that  1  see  no 
more  difference  betwixt  a  careless  and  convicted  sinner,  than 
is  betwixt  a  felon  ranging  his  round  at  large,  and  one  newly 
apprehended  by  the  officers  of  justice :  and  for  my  part,  I 
think  it  would  look  likcr  an  impertinent  sarcasm  than  any 
thing  else,  to  tell  either  of  these  last,  that  he  was  now  in  a  very 
hopeful  way.  As  for  Theron's  convictions,  which  are  ac- 
quired by  his  good-natured  compliance  with  the  advice  of  his 
friend,  leading  him  to  take  a  strict  survey  of  his  deficiencies, 
I  am  not  at  all  surprised  to  find  them  assuaged  and  healed  up 
again  by  the  skill  of  the  same  friend,  kindly  reminding  him 
of  his  several  excellencies  and  amiable  virtues.  But  the 
wound  which  God  gives,  none  but  God  can  heal. 

Perhaps  never  man  made  his  obeisance  to  the  imputed 
righteousness,  in  a  more  generous  and  genteel  manner  than 
Theron  has  done.  In  the  beginning  of  Dialogue  14,  The- 
ron,  having  seriously  ruminated  on  the  several  branches  of 
Aspasio's  doctrine,  having  considered  the  blessings  proposed 
in  it,  and  that  Aspasio  had  affirmed  his  interest  in  these 
blessings,  begins  to  conceive  some  liking  to  that  doctrine. — 
So  his  soliloquy  ends  with  these  words:  "This  doctrine, 
especially  in  such  a  connection,  begins  to  put  on  a  more 
Tecommending  appearance.  My  prejudices  are  really  wear- 
ing away.  1  am  almost  a  convert."  Well,  after  all  other 
objections  are  desisted  from,  the  well-disposed  Theron  is  still 
more  afraid,  lest  the  gospel  have  some  unrighteous  tendency, 
than  of  any  bias  of  unrighteousness  in  himself  Page  269, 
"  But  are  the  interests  of  morality  secured  ?  This  is  what  I 
am  strongly  inclined  to  doubt.  And  to  say  the  truth,  this  is 
now  my  principal  objection  to  your  scheme."  Aspasio  com- 
mends his  concern  for  morality.  "  I  shall  never  blame  my 
friend  for  being  vigilant  and  jealous  over  the  interests  of 
morality. — I  am  glad  to  find,  that  a  jealousy  for  the  interests 
of  morality  is  the  chief  obstacle  in  the  way  of  your  assent." 
Aspasio,  after  quieting  his  friend's  righteous  jealousy  on  that 
score,  finds  him  still  unreconciled  to  his  doctrine ;  and  takes 
notice  of  the  reason,  saying,  "  You  have  not  the  proper  pre- 


2j2  letters  on  [let.  r. 

parative, — a  sense  of  your  great  depravity,  your  extreme 
guilt,  and  your  utterly  undone  condition  ;"  telling  him  withal, 
that  instead  of  those  convictions  which  are  "  si l^hf,  ami  hover 
only  in  the  imagination,"  he  ought  to  have  such  as  are  deep, 
and  penetrate  the  heart."  Theron  being  now  satisfied,  that 
there  was  nothing  in  the  gospel  that  could  give  any  reasona- 
ble disgust  to  his  righteous  disposition;  and  not  being  willing 
to  remain  unprepared  for  any  of  the  blessings  to  which 
his  friend  had  assured  him  he  was  already  entitled  to  by  it, 
very  obligingly  inquires,  "  What  method  would  you  advise 
me  to  use,  in  order  to  get  these  convictions  impressed  on  my 
heart?"  Aspasio,  sensible  of  the  difficulty  there  Avas  of 
finding  matter  for  conviction  in  the  heart  of  so  good  a  man,  in 
order  to  his  being  furnished  with  the  first  requisite,  directs 
him  to  several  pre-requisites ;  which,  I  think,  may  be  distin- 
guished into  four.  1st.  As  Theron  could  not  readily  find 
himself  guilty  by  any  rule  he  was  already  acquainted  with, 
in  order  thereto,  he  behooved  to  study  more  law  ;  2dly,  Ex- 
amine himself  in  the  most  impartial  manner  ;  odly,  Implore 
the  Divine  aid,  or  that  of  the  enlightening  Spirit,  to  assist 
him  in  his  business;  4thly,  and  lastly,  Keep  a  diary  :  as  if 
one  could  reap  any  spiritual  benefit  from  studying  the  Divine 
law,  or  know  how  "  pure,  how  extensive,  how  sublimely 
perfect  it  is,"  before  he  knows  Christ,  the  end  thereof  for  righ- 
teousness ; — as  if  such  a  one  could  judge  of  his  spiritual  state 
impartially ; — as  if  one  could  pray  for  the  Holy  Ghost  before 
he  believes  the  truth,  whereof  he  is  the  Spirit ;  as  if  a  diary, 
kept  by  such  a  one  in  the  manner  directed,  did  not  naturally 
serve  to  administer  more  delicate  food  for  his  pride. 

I  AM  apt  to  wonder  what  business  Aspasio  had  to  urge, 
in  the  manner  he  does,  the  imputed  righteousness,  upon  one 
who  had  little  or  no  occasion  for  it.  Methinks  he  acts  below 
the  majesty  of  the  sacred  theme.  The  gospel  was  never  in- 
tended to  improve  the  righteous,  and  elevate  them  to  a  higher 
condition ;  but  to  relieve  the  wretched.  Had  Aspasio  no 
dissolute  youth,  no  grey-headed  sinner,  within  the  circle  of  his 
acquaintance,  to  whom  the  news  of  forgiveness  might  have 
been  acceptable ;  and  whose  story  might  have  been  much 
more  encouraging  to  the  guilty,  than  to  hear  of  so  well  ac- 
complished a  gentleman  as  Theron,  obsequiously  performing 
everything  requisite  to  entitle  him  to  all  the  comforts  of  the 
gospel  ?  Or  did  Aspasio  imagine,  in  so  late  a  period  of  the 
world,  he  might  at  last  make  the  imputed  righteousness  bear 
a  lovely  appearance  in  the  eyes  of  fine  g(,'ntiemen  ?     Would 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  253 

it  not  be  more  agreeable  to  the  Scripture,  if  one  asks  direc- 
tions for  his  improvement,  to  tell  him,  in  a  word.  Be  perfect; 
keep  the  commandments  and  thou  shalt  live !  to  tell  the 
wretch,  who  despairs  of  improvement,  that  Christ  is  the  end 
of  the  liw  for  rig-hteousncss  !  to  lay  open  to  all  men  the  deceits 
of  the  popular  doctrine,  both  as  to  conviction  of  guilt  and 
faith !  to  ask  them,  Is  it  true  that  they  have  sinned  or  not  ? 
If  it  stand  true  in  their  conscience  that  they  have,  this  is 
conviction.  If  they  have  sinned,  this  is  enough  to  damn 
them,  whatever  sense  they  have  of  their  sin.  And  this  is 
preparation  enough  for  mercy.  To  ask  them  again,  Is  the 
gospel  true  or  not?  If  they  hold  the  gospel  to  be  true,  this 
is  faith.  Then,  let  every  man  show  by  his  works  of  what 
sort  his  faith  is ;  or  what  he  understood  in  his  heart  by  the 
gospel,  Avhen  he  affirmed  it  with  his  mouth  to  be  true  ;  seeing 
there  is  only  one  truth  M'hich  can  save  men,  nnd  not  any  mean- 
ing that  men  may  please  to  affix  to  the  words  of  the  gospel. 

But  my  wonder  at  the  rules  and  directions  given  to  The- 
ron  for  his  attaining  unto  righteousness,  is  abated  when  I  hear 
Aspasio  declaring  his  own  experience,  near  the  end  of  Dia- 
logue 14,  and  assuring  Theron,  that  he  has  "  trod  every  step 
in  the  way  which  he  recommends  to  his  beloved  friend.  He 
has  made  the  trial,  and  can  set  his  probatum  est  to  every  ex- 
pedient which  he  advises ;  and  may  very  truly  say,  with  his 
Divine  Master,  We  speak  thai  ice  do  knoic*  and  testify  that  we 
have  experienced ;  or,  with  the  evangelical  prophet.  This  is 
the  way,  the  way  of  peace,  of  holiness,  and  of  joy,  icalk  ye  in 
i7."t  Aspasio,  then,  hath  found  out  a  path,  by  walking 
wherein  the  guilty  may  confidently  hope  to  arrive  at  righte- 
ousness at  last.  He  assures  us  that  he  himself,  by  carefully 
walking  therein,  followed  after  righteousness,  and  attained 
it.  And  his  friend  must  follow  him,  upon  the  faith  of  his 
success.  But  how  greatly  does  his  experience  differ  from  that 
of  Paul,  both  as  to  himself  and  all  his  converts?  By  the  mini- 
stry of  Paul,  the  nations  were  converted.  But  what  account 
docs  he  give  us  of  their  conversion  ?  He  assures  us,  That 
the  nations,  ichich  followed  not  after  righteousness,  have  at- 
taiaci  i'j  righteousness.  We  must  say,  then,  that  righteous- 
ness was  brought  unto  them  when  they  were  not  seeking 
after  it,  but  following  a  quite  opposite  course.  And  thus  the 
prophet,  in  the  passage  above  referred  to,  foretells  the  case 
was  to  happen,  J'hijie  ear  shall  hear  a  word  behind  thee,  say- 
ing, This  is  the  way.     Not  the  way  to  righteousness;  for  the 


*  John  ill,  11.  t  Is.  XXX,  21. 

22 


254  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Y. 

word  heard  from  behind,  even  the  word  of  faith  which  the 
apostles  preached,  brought  righteousness  nigh,  or  home  to 
them.  Righteousness  itself,  then,  is  the  way.  And  the  point 
to  which  it  leads  is  a  glorious  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

The  voice  from  behind  brings  men  righteousness  and 
places  them  on  the  way.  So  that  to  be  entered  the  first  step 
on  the  way  to  attain  unto  righteousness,  and  to  hear  and 
understand  the  voice,  are  all  one  and  the  same  thing.  Jesus 
Christ  says,  /  am  the  ivay  ;  and,  Whoso  Jlndeih  me,  findcth 
life :  and  he  is  found  of  them  who  seek  him  not ;  for  he 
came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  Again,  Paul 
says  to  such  as  had  believed  on  Christ,  so  had  attained  to 
righteousness,  As  ye  have,  therefore,  received  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him.  He  would  have  them  to  walk  in 
the  way  into  which  they  had  been  already  noticed,  and  pro- 
ceed therein  unto  the  end  of  their  faith,  the  salvation  of  their 
souls,  counting  all  things  loss  to  attain  unto  the  blessed  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  And  thus  he  illustrates  to  us  the  words 
of  the  prophet.  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it. 

Shall  we  think  it  safe,  then,  to  attend  to  Aspasio's  experi- 
ence, in  proof  of  which  we  have  no  more  but  his  most  con- 
fident assertion '?  Or  shall  we  not  judge  it  safer  to  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Divine  Master,  whom  it  well  became  to  say, 
We  speak  what  we  do  know  1  Especially,  seeing  we  have 
the  Divine  frohatum  est,  or  the  highest  demonstration  from 
Heaven,  in  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  ascertaining  the 
truth  of  all  that  he  knew  or  spoke :  Shall  we  not  hearken  to 
Paul,  preaching  the  word  of  faith,  which  brings  nigh  the 
Divine  righteousness,  and  declaring  to  us  what  he  uniformly 
experienced  and  observed,  throughout  the  course  of  his  mini- 
stry, not  only  in  himself,  but  in  many  thousands  beside? 
Or  shall  we  hearken  to  Aspasio,  who,  not  unlike  a  Jewish 
doctor,  stands  up  before  us,  holding  forth  his  diary  in  his 
hand,  prefaced  with  manifold  directions,  leaching  us  how  to 
follow  after  righteousness,  and  calling  aloud  to  us  to  follow 
him,  and  saying,  in  language  too  daringly  borrowed,  This 
is  the  tvay,  walk  ye  in  it. 

Let  us  now  observe  the  effect  of  the  foregoing  rules  and 
directions  on  Theron's  mind.  Having  diiigmtly  applied 
himself  to  the  work  enjoined  him  by  his  friend,  he  obtains  the 
desired  convictions  of  guilt,  and  by  degrees  the  other  requi- 
sites also.  Yet  after  all,  by  the  continued  repres^^ntation  given 
us  of  his  case,  one  is  apt  to  be  struck  rather  with  the  idea  of 
virtue  in  distress,  than  that  of  the  remorse  of  a  criminal. — 
And  the  reason  is  plain ;  because  his  convictions  are  acquired 


LKT.   V.)  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  255 

by  the  evorcisc  of  piety.  And,  indeed,  it  would  seem  that  no 
small  exercise  of  pitHy  was  needful,  to  find  guilty  so  good  a 
ma«  as  Theron.  Yea,  Aspasio  himself  seems  to  be  aflecled 
with  much  the  same  idea,  as  appears  by  the  many  congvatu- 
lary  replies  and  soothing  commendations,  wherewith  he 
endeavours  to  animate  the  drooping  spirits  of  his  friend. 
Yea,  he  frequently  takes  occasion  to  illustrate  the  Divine 
beneficence,  faithfulness,  and  compassion,  by  minding  him  of 
instances  of  the  similar  virtues  in  himself;  and  thesenot  as  un- 
common, but  as  the  ordinary  occurrences  of  his  life. 

Theron  having  e.xpressed  his  con>^ctions  in  Letter  2,  As- 
pasio replies,  in  the  beginning  of  Letter  3,  thus  :  "  Though 
all  your  letters  give  me  pleasure,  none  was  ever  so  highly 
pleasing  as  your  last.  I  look  upon  it  with  the  same  secret 
joy,  as  a  compassionate  physician  observes  some  re r^^/afowr- 
a'ble  symptoms  in  the  crisis  of  a  beloved  patient's  distemper." 
What  Theron  says  in  Letter  9,  is  thus  taken  notice  of  by  As- 
pasio, in  Letter  10,  (vol.  3,  p.  149.)  "  When  you  mentioned 
the  past  indolence,  and  the  present  fervour  of  your  prayers, 
I  could  not  forbear  reiterating  my  praises  to  God  on  your 
behalf  *'  This  is  a  proof,  my  dear  Theron,  that  you  are 
going  in  the  way  everlasting,^'  &c.  Near  the  beginning  of 
Letter  12,  Aspasio  addresses  his  friend  thus:  "Why  this 
dejected  ail-  in  your  temper?  Why  ihose- pensive  strokes  in 
your  letter? — Let  me  anticipate  your  reply,  and  make  answer 
to  myself — This  gloom,  I  trust,  is  a  sign  of  approaching 
day. — Another  favourable  presage  is,  that  you  take  the  direct 
and  certain  way  to  obtain  substantial  comfort.  The  righte- 
ousness of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  after  which  you  inquire, 
al)out  which  you  are  solicitous,  is  a  never  failing  spring  of 
consolation."  And  near  the  end  of  the  same  letter,  "  This 
sorrow  of  which  you  complain,  may  be  the  seed  of  spiritual 
and  eternal  consolation."  Here  I  cannot  forbear  wishing 
that  Aspasio  had  rather  rebuked  Theron's  solicitude,  as  an 
attempt  to  establish  his  own  righteousness,  in  a  new  shape, 
rmder  the  deceitful  notion  of  working  his  way  toward  that  of 
(Jhrist.  For  it  is  the  same  thing,  whether  we  talk  of  ob- 
taining righteousness  by  the  law  of  Moses,  by  the  light  of 
nature,  or  by  Christ,  if  any  solicitude  of  ours  be  held  needful 
to  obtain  it.  Yet  men  have  always  been  disposed  to  put  the 
change  upon  themselves  in  this  matter,  by  shifting  words  and 
names. 

As  the  instances  occur  more  frequently,  in  the  15th  and 
16th  I)ialof;ue<!,  of  Aspasio's  taking  notice  of  such  favourable 
symptoms  in  his  friend's  case,  as  distinguish  him  for  one  of 


256  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

those  peculiarly  respected  by  the  Divine  promises ;  1  think 
I  need  not  spend  time  in  quoting  them  at  large,  especially  as 
I  have  already  pointed  at  some  of  them,  and  may  have  occa- 
sion to  touch  upon  them  further  in  the  sequel ;  nor  shall  I 
insist  much  on  the  other  requisites,  connected  with  the  convic- 
tion of  guilt,  which  are  described  in  Dialogue  15,  in  language 
like  this,*  "The  sacred  privileges  of  the  gospel  are  to  be 
enjoyed  by  every  one  that  unfeignedly  esteems  them,  and 
earnestly  seeks  them,"— that  "longs  for  them." — that,  "is  will- 
ing to  receive  in  the  appointed  way," — "whose  heart  is 
awakened  into  habitual  and  lively  desires  after  the  salvation 
of  Christ."  Such  are  encouraged  in  the  following  manner  : 
•'  What  is  this  but  in  the  spiritual  sense  to  thirst?  To  you 
therefore  the  promise  is  made.  To  you  the  riches  of  this  benign 
dispensation  belong."  But  I  have  better  ground  to  say,  that 
every  one  who  unfeignedly  esteems  the  Divine  law,  is 
awakened  into  habitual  and  lively  desires  after  its  purity,  and 
is  willing  to  receive  life  in  the  way  appointed  therein,  shall 
assuredly  find  it  to  be  "  a  never-failing  spring  of  consolation ;" 
so  needs  not  be  pushed  on  by  any  perplexed  commentary 
on  the  gospel  to  undergo  the  twofold  fatigue,  of  first  getting 
the  bias  of  his  heart  changed  from  all  evil  to  all  that  is  good, 
so  acquiring  a  righteousness  of  his  own  ;  and,  then,  humbly 
denying  he  has  any,  in  order  to  what  is  called  closing  with 
Christ. 

Aspasio  is  often  straitened  how^  to  illustrate  his  twofold  doc- 
trine. And  he  had  been  much  more  straitened,  had  Theron 
only  continued  to  press  him  with  j\  few  more  pertinent  objec- 
tions, not  difficult  to  be  found.  I  am  apt  to  wonder,  why  he 
does  not  mention  charity  or  love  among  his  requisites,  seeing 
he  makes  them  to  consist  of  its  leading  branches  or  affections 
For  do  not  unfeigned  esteem,  longing,  lively  desire,  willing- 
ness to  comply,  belong  to  love  ?  Yea,  does  not  love  compre- 
hend every  good  disposition  whatever;  seeing  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law?  But  perhaps  some  difficuhics  attending 
the  saying  broadly,  and  in  as  many  words,  that  love  is  a  re- 
quisite in  order  to  justification ;  for  many  noted  preachers, 
besides  the  apostles,  have  said  that  love  is  the  fruit  of  faith. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  observe,  that  the  popular  preach- 
ers, while  they  show  no  small  regard  to  di.stinctions  devised  by 
themselves,  or  their  predecessors,  and  delight  to  range  the 
Scriptures,  according  to  them,  are  very  unmindful  of  the  plain 


Pages  254,  265,  witli  p.  239,  vol.  3, 


LET.    V.)  TIIERON   AND   ASPASIO.  257 

simple  distinctions  left  us  by  the  apostles,  to  guide  us  in  the 
understanding  of  their  doctrine.  Many  voluminous  contro- 
versies have  arisen,  and  much  confusion  has  taken  place, 
through  the  neglect  of  the  plain  distinction  made  by  Paul  in 
these  words,  1  Cor.  xiii,  13.  A7ul  now  abidclk  faith,  'hopt, 
charity,  these  three,  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  charity. 
Though  Paul,  as  well  as  the  other  apostles,  always  establishes 
an  inseparable  connection  betwixt  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  or 
love,  he  would  have  us  to  remember,  that  any  one  of  these  is 
not  the  other,  but  that  they  are  still  three.  When  he 
affirms  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  he  would  not  have  us 
to  think  that  we  are  justified  by  any  the  least  motion  or  degree 
of  hope,  or  of  love.  This  point  nmst  be  carefully  attended  to, 
because,  ns  there  have  been  from  the  beginning  many  coun- 
terfeits of  faith,  so  it  will  be  found,  that  every  man's  hope  and 
love  are  of  the  same  nature  with  his  faith.  The  capital  ques- 
tion then  must  be,  What  is  the  feith  by  which  men  are  justi- 
fied ? 

The  apostles  used  the  word  faith  or  belief  in  the  same  sense 
we  do  to  this  day  in  common  discourse.  We  are  properly 
said  to  believe  what  any  man  says,  when  we  are  persuaded 
that  what  he  says  is  true.  There  is  no  diflference  betwixt  our 
believing  any  common  testimonj''  and  our  believing  that  of 
the  gospel,  but  what  arises  from  the  very  nature  of  the  testi- 
mony. For  thus  the  Apostle  John  states  the  matter,  1  John 
V.  9,  If  u'C  receive  the  ivituess  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is 
greater;  so  must  produce  greater  certainty  or  firmness  of 
persuasion. 

When  once  a  man  believes  a  testimony,  he  becomes  pos- 
sessed of  a  truth;  and  that  truth  may  be  said  to  be  his  faith. 
Yea,  we  have  no  idea  of  truth,  but  with  reference  to  its  being 
believed.  The  question  about  faith  must  be  set  aside,  when 
the  inquiry  turns  upon  how  a  man  is  afl^ected  by  a  testimony 
which  he  believes'?  His  passions  and  afiections  arc  set  in 
motion,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  thing  testified,  or  accord- 
ing as  the  testimony  brings  him  matter  of  joy  or  grief^  hope 
or  fear. 

Now,  we  often  become"po.s.?€ssed  of  truths  bringing  us  pain 
or  pleasure,  when  it  would  be  ridiculous  to  say,  we  con- 
tributed anything  to  the  obtaining  of  them.  If  the  alarm-bell 
brings  me  pain,  or  if  the  great  guns  of  a  neighbouring  castle, 
intimating  some  public  occasion  of  joy,  bring  me  pleasure,  at 
unawares,  I  am  not  conscious  that  my  pain  or  my  pleasure 
was  of  my  own  procuring,  unless  some  nice  reasoner  should 
22* 


258  LETTERS  OX  [LET.   V 

say,  I  became  possessed  of  the  sad  or  of  the  joyful  truth,  by 
performmg  the  duty  of  hearing. 

As  the  whole  efRcacy  of  faith  flows  from  the  nature  and  im- 
portance of  the  thing  testified,  he  who  is  justified  by  faith,  is  jus- 
tified by  what  he  believes.  He  has  peace  with  God  :  not  con- 
scious of  any  difference  betwixt  himself  and  others;  but  hearing 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  or  that  he  hath  fulfilled  all  righteous- 
ness, which  now  becomes  to  him  a  truth,  so  his  faith.  As  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  apostles  often  speak  of  faith  and  the  trv.th  in- 
differently, or  to  the  same  purpose,  we  may  just  point  at  a 
few  instances.  John  i,  17,  Truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Gal.  iii,  23,  But  before /"^i^A  came.  Verse  2.5,  But  after  that 
faith  is  come.  John  xvii,  19,  That  they  also  might  be  sancti- 
fied through  the /rt^^A.  Acts  xxvi,  18,  which  are  sanctified 
hy  faith  that  is  in  me.  John  xvi,  13,  the  Spirit  oi  truth.  2 
Cor.  iv,  13,  the  Spirit  o{  faith.  John  xviii,  37,  every  one  that 
is  of  the  truth.  Gal.  iii,  9,  they  which  be  o{  faith.  Acts 
vi,  7,  obedient  to  i\\Q  faith.  1  Pet.  i,  22,  in  obeying  the  truth. 
2  Tim.  i,  5,  the  unfeigned  faith  that  is  in  thee,  which  dwelt 
first  in  thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy  mother  Eunice,  and  I 
am  persuaded  that  in  thee  also.  2  John  ver.  2,  for  the  trutU's 
sake  that  dwelleth  in  us.  3  John  ver.  3,  the  truth  that  is  in 
thee.  I  might  likewise  take  notice  of  many  other  phrases, 
where  the  style  is  somewhat  varied,  but  which  still  carry  the 
same  meaning;  as  where  Paul,  Rom.  v,  speaks  of  being^ws- 
iijied  by  faith,  and  justified  by  his  blood ;  by  both  which  it  is 
plain,  he  means  the  same  thing. 

Every  one  who  believes  the  same  truth  which  the  apos- 
tles believed,  has  equally  precious  faith  with  them.  He 
has  unfeigned  faith,  and  shall  assuredly  be  saved.  If  any 
man's  faith  be  found  insufficient  to  save  him,  it  is  owing  to  this, 
that  what  he  believed  for  truth,  was  not  the  very  same  thing 
that  the  apostles  believed,  but  some  lie  connected  with,  or 
dressed  up  in  the  form  of  truth.  So  this  faith  can  do  him  no 
good;  because,  however  seriously  and  sincerely  he  believes, 
yet  that  which  he  believes  is  false,  and  therefore  it  cannot  save 
him.     There  is  but  one  genuine  truth  that  can  save  men. 

To  illustrate  this  matter,  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  sav- 
ing truth  which  the  apostles  believed  was,  That  Jesus  is  the 
Christ.  The  apostles  had  one  uniform  fixed  sense  to  these 
words,  and  the  whole  New  Testament  is  writ  to  ascertain  to 
us  in  what  sense  they  understood  them.  Every  one  who 
believes  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  in  a  different  sense  from  the 
apostles,  or  who  maintains  anything  in  connection  v/ith  these 


LET.    V.J  THEUON  AND    ASPASlO.  259 

words  subversive  of  their  real  meaning,  believes  a  falsehood; 
so  his  faith  cannot  save  him.  In  the  days  of  the  apostles 
many  affirmed  along  with  them,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  who 
yet  meant  very  differently  from  them.  The  far  greater  part 
of  Christendom  will  affirm  in  like  manner;  yet  we  shall  not 
easily  find  many  who,  when  they  come  to  explain  themselves, 
have  the  same  meaning  with  the  apostles  Let  us,  then,  lay 
aside  all  questions  about  faith,  or  hov/  a  man  believes  ;  and  let 
the  only  question  be.  What  does  he  believe  ?  what  sense  does 
he  put  on  the  apostolic  doctrine  about  the  way  of  salvation? 

It  may  likewise  be  observed,  that  the  difference  often  takes 
place  betwixt  the  confession  of  the  mouth  and  the  belief  of 
the  heart,  which  time  can  only  discover.  We  cannot  have 
a  proper  view  of  this  difference,  by  observing  that  many 
preachers,  in  both  our  national  churches,  solemnly  declare 
their  adherence  to  the  public  standards  of  doctrine,  from 
which  they  widely  differ  in  their  sentiments  ;  because  their 
dissimulation  is,  generally  speaking,  easily  discerned.  But 
a  man  may  so  explain  himself  about  the  way  of  salvation,  as 
to  leave  no  reasonable  ground  to  suspect  that  he  has  any  dif- 
ferent meaning  from  the  apostles ;  yet  some  future  trial  of 
his  faith  may  show,  that  what  he  spoke  with  his  mouth,  was 
not  the  persuasion  of  his  heart:  and  though  it  may  not 
appear,  that  he  had  any  intention  to  deceive  others,  yet  it 
may  appear  to  his  own  conscience,  as  well  as  to  others,  that 
he  had  been  deceiving  himself,  and  retaining  false  sentiments, 
clothed  with  sound  words.  It  may  be  added,  that  many  never 
discover  this  mistake  through  the  whole  course  of  their  life, 
but  go  down  to  the  grave  with  n.  lie  hi  their  right  hand  ;  yet 
we  have  no  other  way  of  judging  what  a  man  believes  in  his 
heart,  but  by  what  he  confesses  with  his  mouth,  and  the  influ- 
ence it  has  on  his  practice. 

Though  the  lives  of  many  are  very  opposite  to  their  declared 
principles;  yet  what  a  man  believes  in  his  heart,  will  cer- 
tainly influence  his  conduct  in  life.  God  bare  witness  to  the 
apostles,  as  having  unfeigned  faith,  as  influenced  by  the  spirit 
of  it  in  their  lives,  and  as  proper  judges  how  far  others,  by 
their  words  and  actions,  appeared  to  be  possessed  of  the  same 
genuine  truth  or  unfeigned  fliith  with  them.  Every  one, 
while  he  appeared  to  agree  with  them,  was  considered  as 
having  the  same  unfeigned  faith  with  them,  and  as  a  brother 
for  whom  Christ  died.  Accordingly  some  corrupters  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  are  said  to  have  swerved  from  faith 
unfeigned;  an.l  others  are  charged  with  denying  the  Lord 
that  bought   them.     And  Paul,  describing  a  heretic,  says, 


260  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

Tit.  iii,  11,  He  that  is  such,  is  subverted,  and  sinntth,  being 
condemned  of  himself.  He  is  unhinged  as  to  the  Christian 
doctrine,  or  turned  off  from  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets;  and  he  sins  against  the  authority  of  the  Chris- 
tian revelation,  to  which  he  professes  subjection,  so  is  self- 
condemned;  that  part  of  the  truth  which  he  himself  professes 
to  hold,  serving-  to  condemn  him  as  to  his  error. 

To  illustrate  what  has  been  said,  we  may  observe  what  Paul 
means  by  one's  believing  in  vain.  1  Cor.  xv.  2.  Speaking 
of  the  gospel  which  he  preached,  hesays,  Bi/ tchich  also  ye 
are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I  preached  unto  you, 
unless  ye  have  believed  in  rain.  Some  of  the  Corinthians 
denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  while  yet  they  affirmed, 
along  with  the  apostles,  that  Christ  arose  from  the  dead.  On 
which  the  Apostle  says,  v.  13,  14,  If  there  be  no  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen  ;  a?id  if  Christ  be  not 
risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your  faith  is  rain. — 
To  believe  in  vain,  then,  is  to  hold,  along  with  the  truth,  some 
error  which  undermines  it,  makes  it  void  and  of  no  effect. 
And  the  same  Apostle  shows  us  at  large,  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Galatians,  that  however  zealous  Christians  we  may  be,  if  we 
add  to  Christ's  death  any  requisite  whatsoever  in  the  matter  of 
acceptance  with  God,  Christ  shall  profit  us  nothing,  Christ  is 
become  of  no  effect  unto  us.  In  general,  the  apostles  ascribe 
every  opinion  or  practice  which  they  condemn  to  some  error 
in  faith,  or  a  lie  held  in  the  place  of  the  truth,  1  John  i,  8, 
and  ii,  4. 

Among  those  who  appear  to  have  the  same  faith  with  the 
apostles,  we  are  not  allowed  to  make  any  difference,  till  some 
event  make  that  difference  appear.  Some  are  said  to  believe 
only  for  a  time,  while  others  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul. 
Though,  during  the  time  that  the  former  are  said  to  believe, 
we  can  by  no  means  distinguish  them  from  the  latter;  yet 
Jesus  Christ  plainly  intimates  to  us,  that  there  is  a  real  differ- 
ence, even  at  the  first  instance,  betwixt  the  faith  of  the  former 
and  that  of  the  latter.  The  only  use,  then,  that  this  intimation 
can  serve  for,  while  appearances  are  good,  is  to  lead  every 
man  to  examine  himself,  and  prove  his  own  work.  The  real 
difference  I  speak  of,  is  pointed  forth  in  the  parable  of  the 
sower,  Matthew  xiii.  In  distinction  from  all  who  believe  only 
for  a  while,  to  believe  in  vain,  he  who  believes  unto  the 
saving  of  the  soul  is  thus  described,  v.  23  :  Bid  he  that  recei-' 
red  seed  into  the  good  gnnmd,  is  he.  that  hearcth  the  word, 
and  uNDERSTANDETii  IT,  &c.  Thosc  Others  may  appear  to 
men  to  understand  the  word  of  faith  as  clearly  as  the  last. — 


LET.   v.]  THERON    AND   ASPASIO.  2Gl 

Their  faith  may  have  the  same  marks  with  hi.s,  of  beinp;  genu- 
ine. It  may  be  attended  with  the  same  signs  of  re])tntance, 
with  the  same  expressions  of  desire  and  joy,  or  the  same 
appearances  of  hope  and  love  ;  while  yet  they  do  not  under- 
stand the  word  of  faith  as  he  does.  They  do  not  understand 
how  the  bare  word  of  faith,  or  Chiist's  death  alone,  can  give 
them  peace  with  God,  without  some  pious  requisite  or  other, 
which  they  secretly  either  hope  to  attain,  or  presume  they  have 
already  acquired.  Some  secret  notion  of  the  necessity  olsome 
difference  betwixt  themselves  and  others,  is  lodged  in  their 
minds  along  with  the  knowledge  they  have  of  the  truth. — 
And  though  the  new  knowledge  they  have  got  may  make 
many  warm  and  kindly  impressions  on  their  hearts,  and  show 
itself  in  many  amiable  appearances  in  their  lives;  yet  the 
little  old  leaven  which  is  still  retained,  however  much  it  may 
lie  hid  for  a  time,  will,  by  degrees,  leaven  the  whole  lump.— - 
Their  whole  religion  will  become  subservient  to  the  darling 
reserve  made  for  their  pride,  and  it  will  require  only  a  proper 
temptation  to  lay  them  open. 

To  have  a  more  full  view  of  this  matter,  w'e  may  take  no- 
lice  of  some  facts  recorded  in  the  gospel  history,  Luke  iv, 
16 — 30.  In  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth,  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  Jesus  read  from  the  prophet  Isaiah  these  words :  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  ^c]  adding.  This  day  is  this 
Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears.  The  effect  of  his  address 
to  the  people,  is  described  in  these  words:  And  the  eyes  of 
all  them  that  were  in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  07i  him. 
And  all  bare  him  witness,  and  icondcred  at  the  gracious  words 
which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth.  And  they  said,  Is  not  this 
Joseph'' s  son  ?  From  this  animated  description,  we  see  what 
lively  impressions  of  Divine  grace  filled  the  minds  of  all  the 
people.  Their  eyes  were  fastened  on  him  ;  they  all  bare 
him  witness,  heartily  approving  the  application  of  the  pro- 
phet's words,  and  so  acknowledging  him  for  the  prophet  of 
Israel ;  yea,  moreover,  wondering  at  the  grace  which  flowed 
from  his  lips,  so  as  they  could  scarce  believe  their  own  eyes, 
that  he  was  Joseph's  son,  who  had  been  brought  up  from  his 
childhood  in  their  city.  Had  one  of  our  popular  preachers 
beheld  this  audience,  he  had  certainly  pronounced  them  all 
converted.  But  Jesus  perceived  a  mistake  about  Divine 
grace  hinted  in  their  question.  Is  not  this  Joseph^ s  son  ?  This 
mistake  he  unfolds  and  opposes  in  the  following  words  :  "  Ye 
will  surely  say  unto  me  this  proverb,  Physician,  heal  thyself; 


262  L^;rTER^5  ox  [let.  v. 

whatsoever  wu  l»r\vc  heard  done  in  Capeinawrn.do  also  herein 
thy  country.  An<l  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  no  prophet  is 
accepted  in  his  own  country.  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  many 
widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  days  ofElias,  when  the  heaven 
was  shut  up  three  years  and  six  months,  when  great  famine 
was  throughout  all  the  land  ;  but  unto  none  of  them  was  Elias 
sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a  city  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that 
was  a  widow.  And  many  lepers  were  in  Israel  in  the  time 
of  Eliseus  the  prophet,  and  none  of  them  was  cleansed,  saving 
Naaman  the  Syrian." 

No  mistake  about  the  gospel  can  appear  to  us  more  natural 
than  the  sentiment  of  the  people  of  Nazareth.  They  fondly 
imagined,  that  seeing  their  fellow-citizen,  who  had  proved  a 
very  acceptable  neighbour,  growing  up  among  them  from  his 
childhood  in  favour  with  God  and  man,  and  now  turned  out 
to  be  the  Saviour,  foretold  by  all  the  prophets,  they  had  some 
natural  claim  upon  him;  and  that  it  would  not  be  equal  and 
reasonable,  or  suitable  to  the  love  of  one's  country,  that  others 
should  be  benefitted  by  him,  and  they  neglected,  they  who  had 
grown  up  with  him,  and  mutually  exc banged  many  kind 
offices  during  their  long  acquaintance.  Yet  so  great  was 
their  awful  respect,  that  they  durst  only  insinuate  their  senti- 
ment in  the  most  distant  manner  in  the  question.  Is  not  this 
Jos-^pJCs  suni 

Jesus  perceives  their  meaning,  and  speaks  it  out  for  them  : 
Ye  ivUl  surely  say  unto  me  this  proverb.  Physician  heal  thy- 
self. And  the  first  check  he  gives  them  is  in  these  words  : 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  No  prophet  is  accepted  in  his  own 
country.  He  who,  being  endowed  with  extraordinary  pow- 
ers from  above,  speaks  and  acts  for  the  Deity,  must  look  above 
all  the  particular  ties  by  which  any  one  part  of  mankind  is 
dinnected  together,  and  distinguished  from  the  rest ;  and,  there- 
fore, must  be  more  especially  unacceptable  to  those  of  his  own 
neighbourhood  or  country,  who  will  naturally  claim  the 
chief  benefit  of  the  abilities  he  is  endowed  with.  Then  he 
proceeds  to  remind  them,  in  what  manner,  and  how  contrary 
to  all  human  expectations,  the  Divine  favours  were  distributed 
in  the  days  of  Elijah  and  Elisha.  In  the  days  of  the  former, 
though  many  widows  were  in  Israel,  a  Canaanitish  woman 
receives  the  distinguished  favour.  In  the  days  of  the  latter, 
though  many  lepers  were  in  Israel,  only  the  captain  of  an 
liostile  prince's  army  is  cleansed.  All  the  while  he  takes  no 
notice  of  what  devout  people  now  would  call  their  eager  looks 
or  acts  of  faith,  fastening  upon,  or  taking  hold  of  Christ,  the 
lively  sense  they  had  of  their  need  of  him,  their  rapturous 


LET.    v.]  THERON   AND    ASPASIO.  263 

impressions  of  grace,  or  yet  their  ardent  longings  to  enjoy 
him  with  all  his  benefits,  except  it  be  in  the  way  of  repulsing 
them. 

It  is  time  now  to  observe  how  the  audience  was  affected 
when  Jesus  had  thus  explained  himself  "  And  all  they  in 
the  synagogue,  when  they  heard  these  things,  were  filled 
with  wrath,  and  rose  up  and  thrust  him  out  of  the  city,  and 
led  him  unto  the  brow  of  the  hill  (whes^on  their  city  was 
built)  that  they  might  cast  him  down  headlong."  How  soon 
is  the  fervent  piety  of  these  people  changed  into  mortal  spite  ? 
Yet  nothing  but  our  inattention  can  make  us  think  their  case 
any  way  singular  or  extraordinary.  For  it  is  a  very  common 
sight  at  this  day,  to  see  people  of  the  first  reputation  for  piety, 
who  can  weep  very  devoutly  at  hearing  their  favourite  ser- 
mons, and  talk  for  hours  together  of  the  impressions  that  grace 
has  made  upon  their  hearts,  very  forward  and  zealous  in 
showing  their  contempt  and  spite  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
true  grace  of  God. 

I  shall  close  my  view  of  this  passage  with  observing,  that 
Jesus,  passing  through  the  midst  of  them,  locnt  his  way,  and 
came  down  to  Capernaum,  where  he  preached  for  some 
time,  and  healed  many ;  and  thence  proceeded  in  like  man- 
ner through  the  other  cities  of  Galilee.  Thus  he  gave  evi- 
dence to  his  own  disciples  of  his  Divine  power  to  rescue 
himself  from  death,  and  disappoint  all  his  enemies.  And 
thus  he  continued  to  distribute  his  favours  among  those  who 
were  considered,  by  the  wiser  or  more  enlightened  part  of 
the  nation,  as  sitting  in  darkness  and  under  the  shadow  of 
death.  And  thus  he  foreshowed  how  he  would  Avithdraw 
his  favours  from  the  Jewish  nation,  who  claimed  a  relation 
to  God  beyond  others,  and  bestow  thorn  freely  on  the  Gentiles, 
who  were  not  looking  for  them.  Thus  ended  the  long  ac- 
quaintance which  had  subsisted  betwixt  Jesus  and  his  fellow- 
citizens  of  Nazareth.  For  we  do  not  hear  that  he  ever  visit- 
ed them  any  more.  So  fatal  is  a  mistake  about  the  Divine 
grace,  and  in  such  dismal  consequences  does  it  issue  ! 

Let  us  now  consider  a  little,  the  account  given  us  of  the 
ten  lepers  that  were  cleansed,  I^uke  xvii,  11 — 19. 

If  by  the  cleansing^,  which  w^as  common  to  all  the  ten,  we 
under.stand,  that  escaping  the  pollutions  of  the  world  throii.gh 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  which 
is  common  to  those  who  understand  the  truth,  and  those  who 
believe  for  a  while,  we  shall,  then,  perceive  the  diflercnco 
betwixt  these  two  sorts  of  believers  properly  pointed  out  to  us, 


2C4  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V- 

by  the  different  behaviour  of  the  nine  from  that  of  the 
tenth. 

All  the  ten  uttered  the  same  prayer,  Jesus,  Master,  have 
mercy  on  us.  They  were  all  cleansed.  But  one  of  them 
comes  to  be  distinguished  from  the  rest,  in  the  following- man- 
ner :  "  And  one  of  them,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  healed, 
turned  back,  and  with  a  loud  voice  glorified  God,  and  fell 
down  on  his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him  thanks,  and  he  was 
a  Samaritan.  And  Jesus  answering,  said,  Were  there  not 
ten  cleansed  1  but  where  are  the  nine  ?  There  are  not  found 
that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this  stranger.  And 
he  said  unto  him,  Arise,  go  thy  Avay ;  thy  faith  hath  made 
thee  whole."  Hence  it  is  evident,  that  this  stranger,  as 
Jesus  designs  him,  when  he  takes  notice  of  his  thankfulness, 
had  a  very  difierent  notion  of  mercy  from  the  other  nine. 
The  other  nine  were  Jews,  so  judged  they  had  a  nearer  and 
more  natural  claim  than  strangers  upon  any  merciful  dispen- 
sation which  God  exhibited  in  their  nation.  And  as  they  re- 
ceived only  the  same  favour  that  was  as  freely  bestowed  on 
a  stranger,  even  the  worst  of  aliens,  a  Samaritan,  as  on  them, 
they  did  not  think  very  highly  of  the  matter.  Their  hearts 
were  not  filled  with  such  gratitude  as  His,  who  could  think 
of  no  reason  for  his  being  cleansed,  but  mere  mercy  properly 
so  called.  So  this  last  receives  the  countenance  and  appro- 
bation of  Jesus,  in  opposition  to  the  other  nine. 

Jesus  reads  to  us  the  very  same  lesson,  from  the  comparison 
which  he  makes  betwixt  Simon,  the  Pharisee,  with  whom  he 
dined,  and  the  notoriously  sinful  woman  who  anointed  his 
feet;  which  he  illustrates  by  the  parable  of  the  two  debtors, 
Luke  vii,  36.  The  intended  instruction  is  summed  up  to  us 
in  V.  47,  where  Jesus  points  at  the  evidence  and  proof  of  the 
woman's  having  received  forgiveness ;  Her  sins  which  are 
viany,  are  forgiven  ;  for  she  Iniiedmuch  ;  but  to  ichom  little 
is  for  git-en,  the  same  loveth  little.  And  from  the  whole  pas- 
sage taken  together,  it  evidently  appears,  that  he  to  whom 
little  is  said  to  be  forgiven,  so  loveth  little,  has  good  ground 
to  fear  lest  he  be  found  at  last  not  to  be  forgiven  at  all ;  even 
as  he  who,  by  breaking,  and  teaching  others  to  break,  the 
least  of  the  Divine  cornmandmonts,  runs  the  risk  of  being 
called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  plainly  runs  the 
risk  of  being  excluded  the  kingdom  of  heaven  altogether. 
The  more  closely  we  consider  the  sayings  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  greater  diflerence  will  we  perceive  iDetwixt  the  Spirit  of 
Christianity,  and  that  of  the  books  most  universally  approved 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  265 

among  us.  Mr.  Richardson,  in  a  work,*  where  the  profes- 
sed design  is,  "to  inculcate  upon  the  human  mind,  under  the 
guise  of  an  amusement,  the  great  lessons  of  Christianity," 
says,  near  the  end  of  the  conclusion,  which  is  supposed  to  be 
written  by  Mr.  Belford,  a  reformed  libertine,  "Happy  is  the 
man  who,  in  time  of  health  and  strength,  sees  and  reforms 
the  errors  of  his  ways  ! — But  how  much  more  happy  is  he 
who  has  no  capital  and  wilful  errors  to  repent  of!  How  un- 
mixed and  sincere  must  the  joys  of  such  a  one  come  to  him !'' 
I  shall  only  observe  here,  what  every  one  of  his  readers  will 
readily  perceive,  that  this  quotation  contains  the  spirit  and 
substance  of  all  that  this  author  has  writ;  but  how  far  agree- 
able to  Christianity,  every  lover  of  the  New  Testament  may 
easily  judge. 

Let  us  next  learn  from  the  words  of  Jesus,  how  infants  at 
the  beginning  of  life,  and  how  condemned  felons  at  the  end 
of  it,  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Thence  we  will  see 
how  little  account  the  Deity  makes  of  all  the  mighty  bustle 
of  our  thoughts  throughout  the  busy  scene  of  life. 

The  first  case  is  set  before  us,  Luke  xviii,  15-17,  And  they 
brought  U7ito  him  also  infants,  that  he  would  touch  them  ;  but 
when  his  disciples  saw  it,  they  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus  call- 
ed unto  him,  and  said.  Suffer  little  childr'^n  to  come  unto  me, 
and  forbid  them,  not;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Verilv,  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  Utile  child,  shall  in  no  icays  enter  therein. 
One  great  advantage  we  have  by  the  gospel-history  is,  that 
we  find  the  same  mistakes  about  the  kingdom  of  God,  which 
were  afterwards  to  take  place  among  the  professors  of  Chris- 
tianity, arising  in  the  minds  of  the  first  disciples,  so  as  to  be 
taken  notice  of  by  their  Lord,  and  rebuked  by  him  for  our 
instruction.  As  to  the  present  case,  we  find  the  disciples 
thought  it  impertinent  to  bring  infants  to  Jesus,  seeing  they 
could  not  give  heed  to  his  word,  nor  have  their  souls 
exercised  about  sin  and  righteousness,  nor  profess  faith  and 
repentance  like  themselves.  By  the  like  reasonings  do  some 
of  our  devoutest  dissenters  forbid  little  children  to  be  brought 
to  Christ,  to  be  blessed  of  him  in  partaking  of  the  one  baptism, 
which  the  Scripture  plainly  shows  to  be  the  common  privi- 
lege of  the  one  body  of  the  one  Lord,  or  of  that  heavenly 
kingdom  to  which  the  infants  of  believing  parents  are  de- 
clared to  belong.  Jesus  rebukes  the  disciples,  and  gives 
them  plainly  to  understand,  that  if  they  did  not  enter  into  the 

*  Clari.ssa  Harlowe. 
23 


266  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

kingdom  of  God  on  the  very  same  footing  with  infants,  or  if 
they  imagine  they  could  contribute  anything  to  their  en- 
trance more  than  they,  they  should  be  for  ever  excluded 
thence. 

The  other  case  is  described  to  us  in  the  account  which 
Luke  (chap,  xxiii,  39-43)  gives  of  one  of  the  malefactors 
crucified  alonsf  with  Jesus.  This  is  the  noted  passage  on 
which  the  far  greater  part  of  preachers  discover  their  disaf- 
fection to  the  Divine  grace,  and,  consequently,  to  the  salva- 
tion of  mankind.  This  may  be  considered  as  a  principal 
touchstone  of  the  regard  men  profess  to  the  sacred  truth. 
Here  the  fashionable  and  the  popular  preachers  take  one 
another  by  the  hand  in  a  friendly  manner.  And  in  general 
it  may  be  said,  that  though  these  two  sorts  of  men  do  not 
choose  to  walk  long  in  company  together,  yet  they  meet  as  it 
were  by  instinct,  without  any  material  difference,  on  all  the 
most  important  occasions.  Their  different  schemes  resemble 
our  old  and  new  made  roads  in  some  parts  of  the  country, 
which  though  they  frequently  take  different  courses  for  a 
considerable  way,  the  one  shorter  and  the  other  longer,  do 
yet  now  and  then  intersect  each  other,  and  are  sure  to  coin- 
cide at  the  end  of  every  remarkable  stage. 

My  quarrel  with  the  Archbishop,  whom  I  formerly  quoted 
on  this  subjecr,  is  very  moderate.  He  was  a  moral  philoso- 
pher, and  it  would  seem  that  it  was  chiefly  in  compliance  with 
the  rites  of  his  country,  that  he  gave  any  place  to  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  scheme  of  religion.  For  his  scheme 
would  suffer  no  great  loss  by  the  want  of  that  name.  The 
like  may  be  said  of  Mr.  Locke,  and  many  other  philosophical 
Christians.  My  principle  quarrel  is  with  those  who  give  out 
themselves  for  preachers  of  Christ,  and  of  salvation  only 
through  his  name.  How  often  do  they  tell  us,  that  we  have 
but  one  instance  of  a  hardened  sinner  finding  mercy  at  the 
close  of  life  7  and  they  insist  upon  it  in  such  a  manner,  as  if 
they  deeply  grudged  mankind  the  benefit  of  that  one  instance. 
But  happy  is  it  for  mankind,  that  that  one  instance  cannot  be 
overthrown,  but  will  stand  unshaken  to  the  eternal  confusion 
of  all  who  bear  any  grudge  against  it.  Might  they  not  also 
tell  us,  that  we  have  bnt  one  instance  of  Christ's  dying  for  the 
sins  of  men,  that  that  day  is  past  long  ago,  and  that  the  like 
will  never  happen  again?  Perhaps  it  would  surprise  us  to 
hear  any  preacher  talking  at  this  rate;  but  how  great  must 
our  surprise  be  if  Mr.  Flavcl  were  the  person.  Mr.  Flavel, 
who  has  long  been  considered  as  an  eminent  inasfcr  in  what 
is  called  our  Israel,  in  a  treatise  called  The  Founiaiji  of  Life, 


LET.   v.]  THKRON  AND  ASl'ASIO.  267 

Sermon,  32,  on  Luke  xxiii,  43,  amidst  a  great  deal  to  the  same 
purpose,  has  the  following  words:  "And  there  is  this  one 
instance  in  the  text,  and  no  more,  that  gives  an  account  of  a 
person  so  called.  Such  a  conversion  as  this  may  not  be  ordi- 
narily expected  by  any  man,  because  such  a  time  as  that  will 
never  come  again  ;  it  is  possible  if  Christ  were  to  die  again, 
and  thou  to  be  crucified  with  him,  thou  mightst  receive  thy 
conversion  in  such  a  miraculous  and  extraordinary  way  ;  but 
Christ  dies  no  more  ;  such  a  day  as  that  will  never  come 
again." 

Thus  the  preacher  leaves  no  room  for  any  such  sinner  as 
the  thief  on  the  cross  to  hope  for  salvation,  unless  Christ  were 
to  die  again,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  impossible. 

But  stay,  let  us  see  what  he  is  afraid  of  He  is  afraid  lest 
men  delay  their  conversion  at  present,  in  the  hope  of  being 
converted  at  last.  For  all  men  are  supposed  to  be  desirous 
of  being  converted  some  time  or  other  before  they  die. 
What  then  shall  we  understand  by  conversion  here?  If  by 
conversion  faith  be  meant,  shall  we  say  that  men  harden 
themselves  at  present,  in  judging  any  testimony  to  be  false, 
by  living  in  the  comfortable  hope  of  holding  it  true  at  last? 
This  will  never  do.  By  conversion,  then,  we  must  here  under- 
stand the  changing  of  a  sinner's  heart  to  love  righteousness 
and  hate  iniquity,  even  that  change  with  which  the  promise  of 
life  is  connected  in  Ezek.  xxxiii.  This  change,  or  some  pre- 
tence to  it,  is  the  same  thing  with  what  is  called  rcpcyiiance,  by 
all  those  who  declaim  largely  on  the  inefiicacy  of  a  deaik-bed 
repentaiice. 

Now,  seeing  the  hope  of  the  guilty  is  made  to  take  its  rise 
from  the  consciousness  of  this  change,  the  preachers  certainly 
do  well  to  warn  their  hearers  by  all  means  to  take  special 
care,  that  this  change  be  as  early  and  as  sincerely  as  possible  : 
"  For,  alas  !  how  little  is  it  that  a  sick  and  dying  man  can  do 
in  such  a  strait  of  time?"  whereas  a  healthy  young  man  may 
easily  be  persuaded  that  he  can  do  a  great  deal  in  this  matter  ; 
and  moreover,  that  he  has  no  such  occasion  to  blush  before 
his  Maker,  or  question  his  friendly  concurrence,  as  an  old 
sinner,  who  has  delayed  his  efibits  to  the  last.  All  the  while, 
I  do  most  heartily  agree  with  the  preachers  in  maintaining, 
that  he  who  does  not  find  himself  disposed  at  present  to  for- 
sake all  evil,  and  fulfil  all  righteousness,  has  no  reason  what- 
soever to  expect  that  ever  he  shall  find  in  himself  that  dispo- 
sition in  any  future  period  of  his  life,  not  to  mention  his  dying 
hour. 

However,  it  is  granted,  that  the  happy  change,  which  is 


268  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

supposed  to  be  the  source  of  good  hope,  was  wrought  in  the 
heart  of  one  dying  thief  in  a  miraculous  and  extraordinary 
way.  And  while  this  is  granted,  we  are  warned  not  to 
imagine,  that  in  an  ordinary  way  any  ground  of  hope  remains 
for  dying  criminals  now,  seeing  it  is  not  everyday  that  the 
Saviour  dies.  We  are  left  to  conclude,  then,  that  the  ordi- 
nary way  of  attaining  good  hope,  is  by  endeavouring  to  make 
our  hearts  beat  time  to  the  moving  addresses  of  a  fervent 
preacher.  Yea,  we  have  got  arguments  framed  to  our  hand, 
which  lead  us  to  infer  from  the  old  extraordinary  cases,  much 
more  probability  of  success  in  the  ordinary  way.  According 
to  the  sentiments  of  a  noted  preacher,  whom  I  formerly  quoted 
near  the  end  of  my  third  letter,  we  must  reason  thus:  If  Christ 
was  anciently  found  of  them  that  sought  him  not,  even  of  them 
that  followed  not  after  righteousness,  how  much  more  will  he 
now  be  found  of  them  that  seek  him  according  to  the  directions 
given  in  sermons?  Meanwhile  it  gives  me  some  satisfaction 
to  perceive,  that  these  oentkmcn  are  themselves  conscious, 
that  there  is  a  real  difference  betwixt  the  ancient  and  the 
modern,  or  betwixt  the  extraordinary  and  the  ordinary  conver- 
sion ;  though  I  have  not  the  satisfaction  of  finding  that  their 
knowledge  of  this  difference  does  them  any  good ;  while  I 
see  them  making  use  of  the  Divine  conduct  of  old  as  a  prop  to 
support  their  modern  inventions.  To  have  a  proper  view  of 
this  matter,  we  must  conceive  it  thus  :  God  brought  sinful 
men  into  favour  with  himself  of  old  in  a  miraculous  and  ex- 
traordinary way.  He  acted,  then,  beyond  and  above  the  course 
of  nature,  raising  the  dead,  and  calling  into  being  things  that 
were  not;  choosing  the  naughty,  the  weak,  and  base  things 
of  the  world,  leaving  the  mighty  to  glory  in  their  abilities. 
But  now  all  things  move  in  their  natural  channel.  Now 
men  are  justified  in  a  plain,  ordinary,  and  natural  way.  It 
was,  indeed,  extraordinary  and  miraculous,  to  see  men  who 
had  no  righteousness  of  their  own,  made  happy  by  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Divine  righteousness  revealed  to  them;  but  it  is 
quite  ordinary  and  natural,  to  see  men  glorying  in  a  conceit 
of  their  own. 

I  formerly  quoted  Mr.  Boston  on  this  subject,  declaring, 
•' It  is  unreasonable  to  think,  that  it  should  fare  at  the  last 
with  those  who  have  had  means  of  grace  all  their  days,  and 
despised  them,  as  it  may  do  with  those  who  never  have  such 
means  till  they  come  to  die."  I  shall  give  a  few  more  of  his 
words  from  the  same  sermon.  "  This  conversion  of  the  thief, 
doubtless  was  a  perfect  surprise  to  him,  a  thing  he  was  not 
looking  for. — What  is  his  example  to  thee  ?  Is  it  rational 


LET.   v.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  260 

for  thee  to  expect  that  favour  which  one  has  sometimes  been 
surprised  with,  and  got  when  he  was  not  looking  for  it  ? — The 
conversion  of  the  thief  on  the  cross  was  an  extraordinary 
manifestation  of  our  Lord's  power,  made  for  special  reasons. 
And,  therefore,  though  it  shows  what  the  Lord  can  do,  it  does 
not  show  what  ordinarily  he  will  do. — It  was  done  in  such 
a  juncture  of  time,  as  the  like  never  was,  and  the  like  never 
will  be  again  ;  namely,  when  the  Lord  of  glory,  the  Sa- 
viour of  the  world,  was  actually  hanging  upon  the  cross, 
paying  the  ransom  for  the  lost  elect  world,''  &c.  To  this  I 
shall  add  one  other  quotation  from  the  close  of  the  The  Ajjlictcd 
Mdii s  Comj)anion,  wi'itten  by  Mr.  Willison,  whose  books 
are  in  great  repute  with  thousands  of  devout  people.  "  The 
Scriptures  contain  a  history  of  more  than  four  thousand  years  ; 
and  yet,  during  all  that  time,  we  have  but  one  example  of  a 
man  that  truly  and  sincerely  repented  when  he  came  to  die ; 
and  in  this  man's  case  there  was  such  an  extraordinary  con- 
junction of  circumstances  as  never  happened  before,  and  can 
never  fall  out  again  to  the  end  of  the  world.  This  man  had 
the  happiness  to  die  close  by  the  newly-pierced  side  and  bleed- 
ing wounds  of  a  crucified  Jesus,  when  he  was  lifted  up  in  the 
height  of  his  love,  drawing  sinners  to  salvation  :  which  was 
a  juncture  that  can  never  have  a  parallel. — Again,  the  man 
never  had  any  offer  of  Christ,  nor  day  of  grace,  before  now  : 
he  surrendered  himself  upon  the  very  first  call ;  and  his  faith 
in  Christ  at  this  time  was  truly  singular  and  miraculous. — 
Besides,  your  way  of  sinning  differs  vastly  from  his.  He 
was  not  guilty  of  presumption  as  you  are;  he  did  not  slight 
Christ's  calls  and  offers  in  the  day  of  his  health,  and  delay  his 
repenting  and  closing  with  them,  in  hopes  of  an  opportunity 
for  them  at  the  hour  of  death  as  you  do."'  According  to  this 
reasoning,  it  may  well  be  said.  Wo  to  the  afliictcd  man,  if 
the  sense  of  his  own  merit  utterly  fail  him  at  the  hour  of  death. 
Never  could  Proteus  assume  more  shapes,  or  change  them 
with  more  dexterity,  than  these  men  do,  in  order  to  evade  and 
oppose  the  revelation  of  Divine  grace.  From  these  two 
quotations  we  have  a  lively  view  of  their  dexterity  this  way. 
In  the  present  case  we  are  given  to  understand,  that  Divine 
grace  was  stretched  beyond  its  natural  ext(  nt,  to  an  extraor- 
dinary height.  And,  agreeably  enough  to  this,  we  are  taught 
to  think,  that  the  atonement  had  then  an  extraordinary  merit 
and  virtue.  The  sacrifice  for  sin  was  then  bleeding,  his  side 
newly  pierced,  and  he  was  lifted  up  in  the  height  of  his  love. 
But  these  are  not  all  the  extraordinary  circumstances  we  arc 
reminded  of  here.  The  pardoned  sinner  had  extraordinary 
23* 


270  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   T. 

merit,  namely,  of  the  negative  kind ;  for  when  all  are  allowed 
to  be  sinners,  he  who  is  least  guilty  is  supposed  to  have  most 
merit,  as  having  least  demerit.  Now,  this  sinner,  in  compari- 
son with  wicked  sinners,  who  harden  themselves  in  sin  with 
presumptuous  hopes,  had  no  guilt,  no  demerit  at  all.  More- 
over, we  must  think,  that  he  had  within  him  a  very  lively 
spark  of  goodness,  which,  though  hitherto  smothered  by  bad 
company,  needed  only  to  get  air,  in  order  to  blow  up  unto  a 
vigorous  flame.  For  he  surrendered  himself  upon  the  very 
first  call.  And,  then,  his  faith  in  Christ  at  this  time  was  truly 
singular  and  miraculous,  and,  therefore,  justly  deserved  to  be 
taken  notice  of,  and  rewardtd  in  a  very  singular  and  miracu- 
lous manner.  Thus  all  the  extraordinary  circumstances  here 
conjoined,  tally  together  in  the  most  agreeable  manner.  Ex- 
traordinary mercy  was,  upon  an  extraordinary  occasion,  shown 
to  extraordinary  worth.  But  in  ordinary  cases,  men  would 
do  well  to  expect  only  ordinary  mercy.  For  as  the  eminent 
prelate,  whom  1  formerly  quoted,  hath  told  us,  "  We  are  not 
like  to  suffer  in  the  company  of  the  So7i  of  God,  and  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  And  if  we  could  do  so,  it  is  not  certain 
that  we  should  behave  ourselves  toward  him  so  well  as  the 
'penitent  thief  did,  and  make  so  very  good  an  end  of  so  very 
bad  a  life. 

The  popular  preachers  could  not  have  chosen  a  more 
proper  place  to  show  their  real  sentiments,  than  within  view 
of  the  very  cross  of  Christ,  and  the  transactions  that  happened 
there.  The  appearance  of  Divine  grace,  pouring  contempt 
on  all  boasted  human  worth,  is  so  striking  here,  that  it  is  no 
wonder  to  find  them  stumbling  at  it.  And  here  it  is  indeed 
that  they  lay  themselves  open.  Methinks,  from  their  doctrine 
on  this  head,  we  may  get  hold  of  some  idea  of  \\\e'u  faith, 
which  they  labour  so  much  to  cover  with  mist,  and  hide  in 
the  dark.  The  idea  of  it,  that  will  best  correspond  with  their 
doctrine,  on  this  jrart  of  sacred  history,  stands  thus.  Faith, 
we  must  say,  is  a  'pious  resolve  to  become  better  men  than  we 
were  before.  It  is  a  little  green  hud,  which  must  be  put  forth 
in  the  spring,  in  the  prospect  of  blossoming  all  summer,  and 
ripening  into  fruit  in  the  autumn,  before  the  winter  of  old  age 
or  of  sickness  and  death  arrives.  In  this  view  of  matters, 
their  doctrine  become^s  so  far  quite  plain  and  intelligible. 
For  what  regard,  in  an  ordinary  way,  is  to  be  paid  to  a  dying 
criminal  resolving  to  reform?  Are  his  resolutions  to  be  trusted? 
Can  he  expect  to  be  treated  on  a  footing  with  one  who  has 
time  before  his  hand  to  put  them  in  practice?  "With  what 
face  can  he  apply  himself  to  God,  in  his  extremity,  whom  he 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASFASIO.  '271 

hath  so  disdainfully  neglected  all  the  days  of  his  life  ?  And 
how  can  he  have  the  confidence  to  hope,  that  God  will  hear 
his  cries  and  regard  his  tears,  that  are  forced  from  him  in 
this  day  of  his  necessity?  Whereas  the  pious  resolves,  the 
prayers  and  tears  of  a  blooming  young  man,  must  no  doubt 
bear  a  very  different  consideration.  But,  then,  a  question 
naturally  arises  here,  that  would  require  a  very  able  casuist 
to  determine :  How  shall  a  healthy  young  man,  resolving  at 
sunset  to  reform,  do  it  in  hopes  of  acceptance,  or  be  assured 
that  he  shall  see  the  light  of  the  next  day,  that  he  may  have 
an  opportunity  of  showing  the  sincerity  of  his  resolves  by 
putting  them  in  practice?  perhaps  it  will  be  readily  answered, 
that  his  resolves  may  be  accounted  sincere,  who  makes  them 
in  perfect  health,  out  of  pure  hatred  of  sin  and  love  of  righte- 
ousness, uncompelled  by  the  fear  of  sickness,  death,  or  future 
judgment.*  But  here,  again,  more  difficulties  occur  than  we 
have  time  to  mention.  The  popular  doctrine,  then,  however 
plain  and  natural  some  parts  may  seem,  will  not  lead  us  far 
straight  forward  ;  and  no  sooner  does  it  oblige  us  to  turn  the 
first  corner,  than  it  leads  us  into  darkness  and  confusion. 

We  must,  then,  either  grope  in  the  dark,  along  with  the 
popular  doctrine  ;  or  we  must  follow  the  Scripture,  and  say, 
that  all  who  receive  the  kingdom  of  God,  receive  it  on  the 
same  footing  with  infants,  and  dying  criminals,  and  find  mercy 
in  the  same  miraculous  way  with  them; — that  all  who  believe 
the  gospel,  find  in  it  a  righteousness  sufficient  to  recommend 


*  An  author,  who  himself  knew  no  better  care  for  a  guilty  conscience 
than  pious  rf^solres,  has  however  written  some  hnes,  which  I  tliink  may 
be  pertinently  quoted  here. 

or  man's  miraculous  mistakes,  this  bears 

The  palm,  "  That  all  men  are  about  to  live." 

For  ever  on  the  brink  of  being  boiij, 

All  pay  themselves  the  compliment  to  think, 

They  one  day,  shall  not  drivel ;  and  tlieir  pride 

On  this  reversion  takes  up  ready  praise ; 

At  least,  their  own  ;  their  future  selves  applauds; 

How  excellent  that  life  they  ne'er  will  lead ! 

All  promise  is  poor  dilatory  man, 
And  that  through  evary  stage  ; 

At  thirty,  man  suspects  hi)nself  a  fool : 

Knoirs  it  'Ai  forty,  and  reforms  his  plan ; 

At  fifty,  chides  his  infamous  delay, 

Pushes  his  prudent  purpose  to  resolve ; 

In  all  the  magnaninfity  of  thought 

Resolves  ;  and  re-resolves  ;  then  dies  the  same. 


272  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

them  to  the  Divine  favour,  at  all  events,  whether  they  live  or 
die,  without  seeing-  the  least  difference  betwixt  themselves  and 
any  dying  malefactor. 

To  ease  the  popular  preachers  of  any  further  trouble  with 
this  one  instance,  which  the}'-  have  so  long  gnawed  upon,  of 
a  hardened  sinner  finding  mercy  at  the  gates  of  death,  a  gen- 
tleman of  distinction  in  the  church  of  Scotland,  the  late  Dr. 
Wishart,  hath  contrived  a  method  to  account  for  the  salvation 
of  the  thief  on  the  cross,  in  a  natural  way,  without  any  mira- 
cle at  all.  This  he  has  done  in  a  discourse,  called,  An  Essay 
onthe  Indispensable  Necessity  of  aHolij  and  Godly  Life  to  the 
Happiness  of  Heaven  ;  showing  that  this  necessity,  according 
to  the  plain  tenor  of  the  Gospel,  is  icithout  reserve  or  exception. 
He  ought  also  to  have  said,  that  the  holiness  necessary  to 
begin  our  happiness,  must  be  without  any  reserve  or  excep- 
tion ;  for,  according  to  the  Scripture,  none  enter  happiness 
but  they  who  are  perfectly  righteous.  In  this  discourse,  he 
undertakes  to  show  it  to  be  "  a  thing  impossible,  that  a  man 
should  go  on  in  a  vicious  course  to  the  last,  and  then  obtain 
the  salvation  of  his  soul,"  p.  9.  To  prevent  mistakes  about 
words,  it  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  by  the  last,  he  all 
along  means  the  time  when  one  is  confined  to  his  death-bed, 
especially  the  latter  part  of  that  time,  or  when  a  criminal  is 
led  forth  to  execution.  In  the  preface  be  says,  "  The  chief 
matter  contained  in  the  following  papers,  appear  to  me,  after 
a  long  and  deliberate  consideration,  to  be  the  truth  of  Crod 
plainly  declared  in  his  word." — "  This  publication  stands  in 
need  of  no  apology.  I  have  indeed  been  long  and  strongly 
prompted  to  it,  by  my  own  heart,  as  the  best  service  I  could 
think  it  in  my  power  to  do,  for  the  honour  of  God,  and  the 
greatest  good  of  my  fellow  creatures."  And  he  had  a  rebuke 
ready  prepared  for  such  as  shall  "  impute  to  bad  or  sinistrous 
designs,  what  (says  he)  I  know  to  be  written  with  the  most 
honest  purpose."  So  that  whatever  come  of  the  gospel,  we 
are  not  allowed  to  make  any  reflections  against  the  integrity 
and  holiness  of  this  author.  And  no  doubt  it  would  be  more 
rude  to  do  so,  as  the  leading  sentiment  in  this  essay  is  full 
warmly  espoused  by  not  a  few  preachers.* 

*  On  this  sentiinont  we  have  the  follnwinii  improvement  in  Mr  Mack- 
night's  Harmony  of  the  Four  Gospels,  Paae  l->2.  Paraphrase,  Malt,  xxvii 
44,  TftP  thicces  also  v/iich  irere  cnu-ijicd  jritli  hiyn,  cast  tlie  siitnc  in  his 
teeth.  Luke  .'■ays,  that  only  one  of  them  did  .>o.  The  other  exercised  a 
most  extraordinary  faith,*  at  a  time  when  our  Lord  was  deserted  by  God, 
mocked  l)y  men.ani  handed  upon  a  cros-;  as  tlie  worst  of  m:i!ofaciors.'' 

The  note  is — *  "  It  1ms  generally  been  tliought  that  this  grace  was 


LET.   v.]  TIIKRON  AND  ASPA3I0.  273 

One  thing"  is  very  evident  in  this  essay,  that  the  autiior 
kibours  much  to  possess  our  minds  with  an  idea  of  the  former 
life  of  the  criminal,  pardoned  on  the  cross  by  Jesus,  very  dif- 
ferent from  that  given  us  by  Luke,  or  any  other  of  the  evan- 
gelists. Whether  Luke  or  he  wrote  with  the  best  design,  or 
the  greatest  regard  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  good  of  man- 
kind, is  a  question  proper  to  be  considered  by  such  as  read 
them  both.  Were  we  left  entirely  to  form  no  other  notion  of 
that  criminal's  character,  but  what  arises  to  us  from  the  words 
of  Luke,  we  should  think  of  him  n<^ither  more  nor  less,  but  that 
he  was  a  thief.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  are  disposed  to 
form  our  notions  of  him  from  the  essay,  we  shall  conclude, 
that  the  infamous  expression  under  which  Luke  sums  up  all 
he  has  to  say  of  his  character,  denotes  only  a  single  blemish 
in  one  of  the  best  of  lives,  long  ago  wiped  off  by  repentance 
and  amendment.  The  author  of  the  essay,  after  noting 
Luke's  words,  says,  p.  87,  88  :  "  He  might  for  all  of  that, 
have  been  an  early  saint,  and  a  very  good  man  in  the  main, 
and  have  led  a  very  good  life  in  his  former  days,  for  the  most 
part;  he  may,  for  any  thing  we  are  told,  have  been  surprised 
through  weakness,  or  tempted  by  want,  to  the  crime  he  corn- 
begun  in  the  thief,  and  raised  to  perfection  all  of  a  sudden,  and  on  the 
present  occa-sion  too,  when  every  circumstance  concurred  to  hinder  him 
from  believing.  Yet  it  is  far  from  being  certain,  that  either  his  faith  or 
repentance  were  the  fruits  of  this  particular  season.  He  vras  acquainted 
with  our  Lord's  character  before  he  came  to  punishment,  as  is  plain 
from  the  testimony  he  bare  to  his  innocence.  This  man  hath  done  nothing 
amiss.  He  may,  therefore,  have  often  heard  our  Lord  preach  in  the 
course  of  his  ministry,  and  may  have  seen  many  of  his  miracles ;  and, 
from  the  consideration  of  both  joined  together,  may  have  been  solidly 
convinced  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Nay,  it  is  possible,  that  he  may  have 
been  a  good  man,  as  well  as  a  jjrofessed  disciple  of  Christ.  For  his  un- 
timely and  misfortunate  end  might  be  occasioned  by  a  single  act  of  gross 
wickedness,  of  which  he  .'sincerely  repented,  and  into  which  saints  them- 
selves may  fall,  through  the  stiength  of  temptation,  consistently  with  their 
being  in  a  state  of  grace  :  wittiess  David's  adultery  and  murder.  The 
thing  I  say  is  possible.  And,  therefore,  those  who  encourage  themselveH 
in  sin  from  this  example,  as  if  it  was  an  instance  of  a  late-accepted  re- 
pentance, proceed  upon  suppositions,  which,  though  they  may  have 
existed,  yet  no  man  can  be  certain ;  while  in  the  meantime,  the  mattei, 
is  of  such  undeniable  importance,  that  it  loudly  demands  the  exclusion 
of  every  doubt. 

In  this  age  of  refinement  on  the  gospel,  we  are  not  to  be  surpri.'^ed,  if 
we  soon  hear  our  preachers  of  first  note  gravely  remarking,  that  the 
honest  thief  well  deserved  to  find  mercy ;  and  that,  in  reference  to  the 
well-known  parable,  it  was  but  natural  and  rational,  that  the  good 
publican  should  go  down  to  his  house  justified,  rather  than  the  wicked 
Pharisee.  See  the  ingenious  turn  which  this  commentator  gives  to  this 
parable. 


274  LETTERS  ON  [LKT.   V. 

mitted :  and  have  met  with  his  just  cond<mnation  for  the 
first,  and  the  only  instance  of  it  he  had  been  guilty  of"  And 
a  little  after  he  proceeds  thus :  "  It  may,  for  anything  we  are 
told,  have  been  a  long-  time  since  he  was  guilty  of  the  crime 
before  he  suffered  for  it ;  during  all  which  time,  he  may  have 
been  going  on  in  a  course  of  sincere  repentance,  and  tho- 
rough amendment."  Our  author  is  not  content  with  suggest- 
ing, that  thus  the  case  might  be,  but  he  urges  us  to  think  it 
really  was  so,  by  the  following  argument,  backed  with  an 
awful  reproof  to  such  as  shall  adventure  to  think  otherwise. 
"  And  if  it  may  be  so,  for  anything  we  are  here  told ;  then  it 
is  plain,  we  have  no  ground  here  given  us  to  reckon  it  was 
otherwise  ;  and  what  other  ground  can  we  have  for  it  ?  And 
if  we  will  lake  the  liberty  to  .sz/^^/y,  or  add  to  any  passage 
of  Scripture,  from  our  own  fancies,  {perlinenili/  spoken  by 
owr  <^/wMor,)  or  traditionary  prejudices,  we  may  easily,  that 
way,  'Wrest  to  our  oiun  destruction  any  passages  of  Scripture 
whatsoever,  even  the  plainest  and  most  easy  to  bcunderstoodP 
Having  thus  straitly  charged  us  not  to  contradict  a  word  of 
the  history  of  this  criminal's  former  good  life,  now  for  the  first 
time  published,  because  no  evangelist  has  writ  a  particular 
confutation  of  it,  he  proceeds,  in  p.  89,  to  offer  us  a  proof 
of  it,  from  his  behaviour  on  the  cross :  "  We  can  observe 
nothing,  in  the  whole  of  his  behaviour,  like  the  contrition, 
sorrow,  or  fears  of  a  man  conscious  to  himself,  that,  hitherto, 
he  had  been  going  on  in  a  sinful  course ;  and  pierced  whh 
the  conviction,  that,  to  this  moment,  he  was  in  a  most  danger- 
ous state,  but  rather  like  the  confidence  of  an  improved  saint, 
of  a  man  conscious  to  himself  that  he  was  in  a  good  state,  had 
been  early  converted,  and  had  brought  forth  fruits  meet  for 
repentance  long  ago.  tlere  is  no  coming  trembling  with 
the  jailor, — no  downcast  looks  w'ith  the  puhlicanP 

If  one,  after  reading  this  modern  essay,  should  look  into 
the  gospel-history,  must  he  not  be  surprised  why  Luke  gives 
no  hint  of  a  difference  in  the  characters  of  the  two  thieves, 
especially  seeing  the  interests  of  virtue  and  holiness  are  so 
much  at  slake  here  ;  and  seeing  the  circumstances  attending 
the  death  of  Jesus,  were  likely  to  be  very  often  considered 
among  Christians'?  But,  then,  his  surprise  will  be  either 
quite  removed,  or  else  greatly  increased,  if  he  shall  take 
time  to  read  over  Luke,  and  the  other  evangelists,  where  he 
will  find  many  incidents  related  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  exceed- 
ingly confounding  to  the  patrons  of  virtue  and  holiness  in 
that  age,  and  withal  very  encouraging  to  the  more  dissolute 
part  of  mankind;  yea,  where  he  will  find  such  accounts  of 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  aSPASIO  275 

Divine  grace,  and  such  distributions  of  Divine  favours,  as 
quite  break  through,  and  supersedes  all  the  rules  of  equity 
and  proportion  maintained  among  us.  If  one  of  our  patrons 
of  virtue  were  the  reader,  he  would  very  readily  take  um- 
brage at  the  contrast  stated  betwixt  the  Pharisee  and  Publican, 
in  Luke  xviii.  9-14,  unless  some  ingenious  commentator  were 
at  hand  to  inform  him  of  some  circumstances,  omitted  in  the 
gospel-history,  which  yet  are  not  formally  and  particularly 
contradicted  there.  As  the  publican  was  in  reality  a  very  good 
sort  of  man,  and  that,  being  of  a  very  scrupulous  conscience, 
he  was  ready,  through  his  great  humility,  to  call  himself  a 
sinner,  and  ask  mercy  ; — that  the  Pharisee  was  a  gross  hypo- 
crite, a  lying  slanderer,  very  covetous,  and  a  great  smuggler, 
so  had  a  great  contempt  for  honest  tax-gatherers,  and  looked  on 
all  they  took  from  him  as  injustice  and  extortion;  that,  accord- 
ingly, when  he  was  at  his  prayers,  and  provoked  by  the  sight 
of  one  of  these  officers  of  the  revenue,  he  gave  vent  to  his  ill- 
nature,  accusing  him  falsely  of  the  most  scandalous  vices, 
and  no  less  falsely  ascribing  to  himself  the  opposite  virtues : 
that,  to  enforce  all,  it  could  not  otherwise  have  been  said  in 
the  text,  agreeably  to  nature,  and  the  interests  of  virtue  and 
holiness,  that  the  publican  went  down  to  his  house  justified 
rather  than  the  other.  Thus,  by  the  help  of  a  little  dexterity, 
many  difficulties  in  the  gospel  history,  that  have  proved  very 
stumbling  to  the  ancient  and  modern  guardians  of  holmcss, 
might  be  entirely  removed. 

AH  the  while,  I  do  most  heartily  agree  with  the  author  of 
the  essay,  in  affirming,  as  in  p.  7  and  8,  "  That  there  is  no 
promise  nor  instance,  in  the  whole  word  of  God,  of  that 
repentance  being  accepted  of  him  at  last,  or  availing  to  obtain 
the  happiness  of  the  other  world,  which  comes  not  till  the  last 
moment  or  hour  of  life;  fir  less  which  is  purposely  deferred 
till  then."  I  likewise  agree  with  his  account  of  that  repen- 
tance which  as  the  promise  of  acceptance  with  God,  in  p. 
70,  "  If  the  wicked  turn  from  his  sin,  and  do  that  luhich  is 
lawful  and  right;  if  he  icalk  in  the  statues  of  life,  without 
committing  iniquity  ;  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die." 

But  to  bring  our  remarks  on  this  essay  to  a  close :  Though 
the  preface  will  not  suffer  us  to  suspect  the  integrity  of  the 
author,  yet  methinks  those  who  are  confessedly  the  guiky  part 
of  mankind;  have  some  reason  to  complain  of  his  want  of 
generosity,  if  he  and  his  fellows,  after  having  duly  quali- 
fied themselves,  can  boldly  take  their  seat  as  the  children  of 
the  kingdom,  and  claim  all  the  blessings  thereof,  why  should 
he  grudge  to  let  tall  one  crumb  to  the  dogs  under  the  table  1 


276  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

Might  not  a  few  lines  of  the  |?ospe],  relating  the  happy  end 
of  one  worthless  fellow,  be  suffered  to  remain  in  the  simple 
form  wherein  they  were  writ,  to  serve  as  the  dernier  resource 
of  poor  dying  criminals,  to  whom  at  first  sight  they  seem  to 
belong  ? 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  words  of  the  evangelists,  Mark 

XV,  27,  28,  Aful  loiih  him  they  crucified  two  thieves  ;  the  one 
on  his  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left.  And  the  Scrip- 
ture was  ful filled  which  saiih.  And  he  loas  nvmbered  with  the 
transgressors.  Jesus,  before  he  was  betrayed,  made  mention 
of  the  same  prophecy  to  his  disciples,  as  yet  to  be  accomplished 
in  him,  Luke  xxii,  37.  Thus  we  see,  that  special  notice  is 
taken  of  this  memorable  circumstance,  which  stands  among 
many  others,  foretold  of  his  death,  in  Is  liii,  The  last  words 
of  that  chapter  run  thus :  He  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto 
death;  an  i  he  was  numbered  ivilh  the  transgressors,  and  he 
bare  the  sin  of  many,  ajid  made  intercession  for  the  transgres- 
sors Jesus  seems  to  point  to  the  same  passage  when  he  says, 
The  Son  of  man  came  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. 

As  the  death  of  Christ  was  intended  for  a  ground  of  hope  to 
men  in  the  most  desperate  cases :  so  the  circumstances  attend- 
ing his  death  were  wisely  adapted  to  serve  that  grand  purpose, 
which  so  well  becomes  Divine  mercy.  The  whole  need  not 
a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick.  If  the  least  shadow  of 
respect  to  human  worth  had  been  shown  here,  then,  nothing 
but  despair  had  remained  for  the  utterly  worthless,  the  only 
persons  for  whose  relief  the  grand  remedy  Avas  provided. 

Had  Jesus,  at  his  death,  been  numbered  with  men  of  equal 
repute  with  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job,  he  had  certainly,  in  all 
propriety  of  speech,  been  numbered  with  transgressors.  But, 
then,  what  encouragement  had  remained  for  those  who  are 
not  only  selfcondemned,  but  have  also  forfeited  all  title  to  the 
esteem  of  their  fellow-creatures?  What  ground  of  hope  had 
remained  for  those  in  the  most  desperate  circumstances,  where 
Divine  mercy  delights  chiefly  to  interpose  ? 

But  happy  it  was  for  men,  that  the  Holy  One,  and  the  Just, 
suffered  in  the  character  of  the  worst  of  mankind.  He  was 
numbered  with  such  as  all  the  world  agree  to  call  transgres- 
sors, with  such  as  have  always  been  thought  unworthy  to  live. 
He  was  deemed  unworthy  to  live  by  his  own  nation,  who 
interceded  for  and  obtained  the  releasement  of  Barabbas. 

When  the  Just  One  was  thus  numbered  with  transgressors, 
and  crucified  betwixt  two  of  them,  who  had  been  led  forth 
with  him,  so  had  access  to  observe  v/hat  passed  on  the  way, 


LET.   v.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  277 

as  well  as  what  happened  after  they  were  nailed  to  the  cross, 
one  of  the  two  being  given  to  understand,  by  what  he  heard 
and  saw,  what  for  a  person  he  was,  who  hung  crucified 
betwixt  him  and  his  fellow-transgressor  ;  and,  on  seeing  what 
was  done  in  the  green  tree,  fearmg  what  might  befall  the  dry, 
so  dreading  a  far  greater  punishment  in  the  other  world  than 
he  was  presently  suffering  in  this,  dissents  from,  and  rebukes 
his  fellow  for  joining  with  the  Jews,  and  presents  his  suppli- 
cation to  Jesus.     And  thus  he  shows  us  what  his  faith  w^as. 

The  rebuke  runs  thus,  Dost  not  thou  fear  God,  seeing  thou 
art  in  the  same  condemnation  ?  Aiid  tee  indeed  justly  ;  for 
we  receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds  ;  but  this  person  hath 
done  nothing  amiss.  He  hath  done  nothing  amiss,  spoken 
no  blasphemy  in  calling  himself  the  Son  of  God,  and  affirm- 
ing, that  God  delighted  in  him.  And  it  is  no  objection  to 
this,  that  he  neither  seeks  to  save  himself  nor  us  from  this  con- 
demnation. He  is,  in  this  very  suffering,  pleasing  his  Father, 
by  doing  his  will ;  while  he  suffers  most  unjustly  from  the 
hands  of  men,  that  punishment  which  is  the  due  reward  of 
our  deeds.  Dost  not  thou  fear  that  God  whose  delight  is  in 
him,  and  whose  wrath  is  pointed  against  all  who  oppose  him  ? 
Though  all  the  world  do  presently  agree  with  thee  in  despis- 
ing him,  will  this  screen  thee  from  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty? 
He  is,  indeed,  a  king,  as  he  said,  while  yet  he  hath  done  no- 
thing amiss  against  Ca3sar.  Nor  is  it  any  objection  to  his 
majesty,  that  he  thus  suffers  death,  for  by  this  very  path  he 
goes  to  take  possession  of  his  kingdom  above  with  his  Father. 

Then  he  addresses  himself  to  Jesus,  and  pays  him  the 
highest  worship  that  mortal  can  pay  to  aught  that  is  called 
God ;  while  he  presents  to  him  his  last  and  dying  prayer 
about  his  eternal  concerns,  Lord,  remember  me  ivhni  thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom.  Jesus  answers  him  with  that 
majesty  and  condescension  which  alone  became  the  Lord  of 
the  highest  heaven.  Verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  To-day  shalt  thou 
be  tcith  me,  in  Paradise.  And  thus  he  approved,  ratified, 
and  confirmed  the  faith  of  the  transgressor. 

Let  us,  then,  observe  what  was  the  faith  of  this  transgres- 
sor, as  it  appeared  in  the  expression  of  it.  No  difference 
filled  his  mind,  or  took  place  in  his  thoughts,  but  that  immense 
one  betwixt  himself,  a  sinner  o{  the  vilest  class,  and  the  per- 
fections of  righteousness  shining  forth  in  a  person  of  the 
highest  dignity,  under  the  severest  trials.  This  is  the  proper 
point  of  view  at  which  sinful  men  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  God.  To  this  point  was  Paul,  that  eminent  guardian 
of  virtue  and  holiness,  reduced,  when  he  became  a  Christian. 
24 


278  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

And  thus  he  beheld  the  grace  which  relieved  him  to  be 
exceeding  abundant.  After  giving  a  list  of  sinners,  unholy, 
profane,  murderers,  whoremongers,  &c.,  he  lets  us  know  his 
own  rank,  when  he  points  to  the  gracious  truth  which  relieved 
him,  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom 

I  am  THE  CHIEF. 

It  is  evident,  that  he  who  prayed  to  Jesus  on  the  cross,  saw- 
no  difference  betwixt  himself  and  his  fellow  criminal.  The 
above  mentioned  immense  difference  alone  occupied  his  mind. 
And  it  is  remarkable,  that,  in  order  to  his  finding  mercy,  he 
is  no  way  concerned  to  see  this  difference  lessened.  As  we 
do  not  find  the  publican  in  the  parable  envying  the  excellency 
of  the  Pharisee,  or  wishing  to  be  made  like  him,  that  he 
might  be  better  prepared  for  mercy:  so  neither  does  this 
criminal  pray  for  any  gracious  change  to  be  wrought  in 
him,  to  distinguish  him  from  his  wicked  companion,  that  so 
he  might  be  a  more  meet  object  for  the  compassion  of  Jesus. 
His  prayer  proceeds  wholly  on  the  persuasion,  that  the  righ- 
teous One  was  able  to  befriend  in  the  other  world  him  who 
had  no  prospect  of  retrieving  matters  in  this.  And  this  is  the 
prayer  of  faith  that  never  yet  failed  of  an  answer  in  peace, 
or  to  be  attended  with  a  sense  of  the  Divine  favour  in  the 
conscience  of  the  supplicant.  Had  this  sinner  been  instructed 
by  such  famous  preachers  as  I  have  seen  attending  criminals 
led  to  execution,  he  had  no  doubt  first  of  all  prayed  for  a  neiv 
heart,  strength  to  act  faith,  or  some  such  requisite  to  justifica- 
tion. 

From  this  part  of  sacred  history,  then,  we  find  that  Jesus 
was  not  only  so  numbered  with  transgressors,  as  to  sustain 
the  character  of  the  ivorst*  of  them  ;  but  he  was  also  so  num- 
bered with  them  unto  death,  as  that  the  worst  of  them  might 
be  numbered  unto  life  with  him.  It  was  necessary  that  the 
Saviour  should  thus  be  numbered  Avith  transgressors,  that 
all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  might  see  the  Divine  grace  in 
the  same  point  of  view.  Let  every  man  then  choose  his 
own  company.  Let  him  who  is  ashamed  of  such  low  com- 
pany as  this,  by  all  means  keep  his  proper  distance.  Let 
him  follow  the  ancient  and  modern  patrons  of  holiness,  who 


*  Though  in  one  respect  it  may  be  said,  that  there  is  a  sort  of  impro- 
priety in  using  such  comparative  expressions  on  this  subject ;  yet,  in 
seUing  forth  the  Divine  grace  in  its  true  Hght,  there  is  a  manifest^ieces- 
gity  for  using  them  ;  because  it  is  constantly  imagined  among  men,  that 
the  Deity  regards  them  according  to  those  distinctions  by  which  tliey 
regard  one  another. 


LET,  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  279 

will  funiitih  him  with  a  Deity  according  to  his  taste.  He 
who  hopes  to  be  saved  on  any  other  footing  than  the  thief  on 
the  cross,  or  who  hopes  to  stand  on  more  honourable  terms 
with  his  Maker  than  he,  must  be  saved  by  another  kind  of 
grace,  so  by  another  God,  a  God  who  delights  in  such  a 
character  as  is  highly  esteemed  among  men,  and  who  has  no 
grace  to  bestow  but  to  such  a  character. 

To  show  what  a  vjist  difference  there  is  betwixt  the  Divine 
character,  and  what  is  worshiped  by  the  popular  preachers, 
I  would  have  it  observed,  that  such  mercy  as  was  shown  to 
the  thief  on  the  cross,  is  characteristic  of  the  true  God,  and 
is  made  use  of  to  exhibit  to  us  the  grandest  view  of  the  Di- 
vine majesty  and  glory.  See  that  notable  prophecy  concern- 
ing the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  in  Ps.  cii,  16 — 21,  When 
the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  shall  appear  in  his  glory. 
He  will  regard,  the  prayer  of  the  destitute,  and  not  despise 
their  prayer.  This  shall  be  ivritten  for  the  generation  to 
come ;  and  the  people  which  shall  he  created  shall  praise  the. 
Lord.  For  he  looked  down  from  the  height  of  his  sanctuary  ; 
from  Heaven  did  the  Lord  behold  the  earth;  to  hear  the 
groaning  of  the  prisoner,  to  loose  those  that  are  appointed  to 
death ;  to  declare  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  Zion,  and  his 
praise  in  Jerusalem.  This  is  one  of  those  sublime  passages 
on  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  give  any  commentary  Avith- 
out  defacing  it.  But  I  may  be  bold  to  say  that  it  is  full  to  my 
purpose. 

These  passages  of  Scripture,  we  have  been  considering, 
may  suffice  to  show,  how  the  saving  grace  of  God,  revealed 
in  the  gospel,  was  known  and  distinguished  from  all  counter- 
feits, by  those  whose  apprehension  of  it  was  approved  by  the 
Lord  and  Saviour. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  take  notice  of  the  capital  absurdity 
of  the  popular  doctrine.  It  leads  us  to  read  the  New  Testa- 
ment backwards.  It  sets  before  us  the  several  effects  or 
fruits  of  faith,  or  rather  certain  operations  of  its  own,  under 
the  sacred  names  of  these  effects ;  and  then  prompts  us  to 
work  our  way  to  faith,  by  first  attaining  or  feeling  these  effects. 
Hence  it  is,  that  we  have  so  many  treatises  describing  to  us 
the  previous  steps  necessary  to  be  taken  in  order  to  conver- 
sion. Long  and  dreary  indeed  is  the  path  which  they  pre- 
scribe to  us.  So  that,  while  men  continue  obsequious  hearers 
of  this  doctrine,  they  may  indeed  be  ever  learning,  but  they 
shall  never  be  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. — 
The  writers  of  these  treatises  do,  in  one  respect,  often  resemble 


280  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V, 

the  writers  of  romances.*  The  latter,  Avhrn,  after  various 
difficukies,  they  have  at  leng-th  got  the  hero  and  his  damsel 
married ;  have  generally  little  more  entertainment  to  give 
us.  The  former  exhaust  their  genius  in  leading  the  serious 
soul  to  the  wished  for  period  of  what  they  call  conversion, 
and  after  that  they  give  us  little  more  than  insipid  repetition. 

The  matter  stood  quite  otherwise  with  the  apostles  and  their 
converts.  The  apostles,  in  their  first  addresses  to  men, 
declared  the  saving  truth.  Some  believed,  others  contradicted 
and  blasphemed.  The  history  of  the  apostolic  converts 
begins  with  their  believing,  or  coming  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth.  Then  the  apostolic  care  of  them  commenced. — 
Then  we  find  them  separated  from  the  world,  and  remarkably 
exposed  to  their  hatred.  We  find  them  joined  together  in  a 
peculiar  union  and  affection  among  themselves.  We  find 
that  union  and  affection  marvellously  supported  in  the  midst 
of  various  kinds  of  opposition.  Every  part  of  their  history 
is  new  and  interesting.  By  the  heavenly  light  which  now 
shined  among  them,  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  in  its 
whole  alienation  from  the  life  of  God,  was  drawn  forth,  expo- 
sed to  view,  and  reproved  by  the  apostles,  who  carefully 
watched  over  them,  exhorting  them  to  cleanse  themselves 
from  all  filth iness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness 
in  the  fear  of  God ;  and  thus  to  give  all  diligence  to  the  full 
assurance  of  hope  unto  the  end,  or  to  make  their  calling  and 
election  sure.  ^  In  these  interesting  matters  the  far  greater 
part  of  the  apostolic  writings  is  occupied. 

The  popular  preachers  reverse  the  apostolic  method  ;  they 
ply  their  hearers  w' ith  the  various  exhortations  by  which  the 
apostles  nourished  and  confirmed  the  faith  of  believers.  And 
thus  they  would  animate  men  to  work  out  their  own  justifi- 
cation before  God,  by  diligently  following  after  righteous- 
ness. And,  then,  what  else  can  the  faith  be  which  they  are 
thus  wrought  up  to,  but  the  persuasion,  that  they  are  much 
more  righteous  and  worthy  of  the  Divine  favour  than  others  ? 

I  know  some  people  are  ready  to  say,  that  this  breach  of 
order  is  of  no  great  moment ;  that  it  matters  not  w^hether 
faith  or  works  take  place  first,  provided  a  connection  in  any 
shape  be  still  maintained  betwixt  them.  But  these  are  peo- 
ple who  have  seldom  or  never  thought  seriously  on  the  mat- 
ter, and  who  content  themselves  with  sounds  instead  of  things. 


*  If  the  comparison  ubove  made  be  thought  to  need  any  apology,  I 
must  frankly  acknowledge,  that  I  look  upon  the  first-mentioned  sort  of 
writings  as  ranch  more  hurtful  to  mankind  than  the  last. 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  281" 

For  it  is  evident,  that  the  order  of  the  apostolic  doctrine  can- 
not be  broken  without  worshiping  another  God ;  yea,  and 
meaning  quite  other  things  than  they  did  by  all  the  sacred 
words  of  the  gospel. 

The  popular  preachers  are  not  insensible,  that  the  absurdity 
would  appear  too  glaring,  should  they  directly  oppose  the 
apostolic  order;  therefore,  instead  of  plainly  establishing  the 
reverse,  they  choose  rather  to  throw  the  apostolic  order  into 
confusion,  and  cover  it  with  mist,  so  as  the  cheat  may  not 
readily  be  discerned.  For  they  always  do  their  business 
most  successfully  in  the  dark.  They  so  confound  the  dis- 
tinction betwixt  taith  and  love,  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  what 
fixed  uniform  notion  they  have  of  either.  In  words  they 
agree  with  the  apostles,  in  maintaining,  that  men  are  justified 
by  faith,  and  not  by  love ;  but,  then,  when  they  come  to  ex- 
plain themselves,  they  hold  it  necessary  that  love  first  per- 
form its  office  before  faith  is  at  liberty  to  make  its  conclu- 
sion. But  stay,  I  must  not  say  they  insist  on  the  previous 
necessity  of  love;  that  would  be  too  fiat;  they  only  insist  on 
the  necessity  of  the  humility,  esteem,  desires,  longings,  and 
every  thing  that  belongs  to  love,  but  its  proper  name.  For 
both  as  to  faith  and  love,  we  shall  find  that  the  popular  doc- 
trine is  all  deceitful  circumlocution  from  the  one  end  to  the 
other.  Therefore,  I  am  willing  to  think,  that  Mr.  E.  Ers- 
kine  forgot  himself  a  little  when  he  said,  "  What  is  faith, 
but  love  trusting  and  confiding  in  the  beloved  object?"* 
because  it  is  very  seldom  that  such  preachers  betray  them- 
selves so  plainly. 

To  avoid  the  absurdity  of  saying  we  are  justified  by  aught 
else  but  faith,  they  commonly  divide  faith  into  as  many  dif- 
ferent acts  or  motions  as  will  serve  all  their  purposes.  Hence 
we  hear  of  the  various  acts  of  faith,  direct  and  reflex.  Hence 
the  faith  of  reliance,  affiance,  assurance,  the  act  of  flying,  and 
the  act  of  trusting,  a  believing  application,  appropriation,  &c. 
Mr.  Boston,  I  think,  divides  saving  faith  into  four  acts.  And 
others  again  choose  to  assure  us,  that  one  single  act  of  faith 
is  sufficient  to  save  our  souls  forever ;  but,  then,  that  single 
act  must  be  properly  qualified.  In  the  same  view,  many 
epithets  are  given  to  faith  :  as  a  true,  sincere,  lively,  manly, 
generous,  triumphant  faith,  &.c.  Here  I  am  ready  to  express 
my  wish,  that  Aspasio  had  carried  his  aversion  to  the  terms 
and  phraseology  of  the  popular  doctrine  much  farther  than 

*  In  a  sermon,  entitled,  God  is  lote^ 
24* 


282  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

he  has  done.     The  dialogues  are  far  from  being  sufficiently- 
purged  of  them. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  take  particular  notice  of  all  these 
forms  of  expression.  But  one  thing  in  the  general  may  be 
freely  said,  that  where  the  faith  necessary  to  justification  is 
described,  every  epithet,  word,  name,  or  phrase,  prefixed  or 
subjoined  to  Faith,  not  meant  as  descriptive  of  the  truth  be- 
lieved, but  of  some  good  motion,  disposition,  or  exercise  of  the 
human  soul  about  it,  is  intended,  and  really  serves,  instead  of 
clearing  our  way,  to  blindfold  and  decoy  us ;  to  impose  upon 
us,  and  make  us  take  brass  for  gold,  and  chaff  for  wheat ;  to 
lead  us  to  establish  our  own,  in  opposition  to  the  Divine  righte- 
ousness, even  while  our  mouths  and  our  ears  are  filled  with 
high  sounding  words  about  the  latter. — In  vain  shall  Ave  con- 
sult catechisms,  confessions,  and  other  publicly  authorised 
standards  of  doctrine,  for  direction  here.  These  are  framed  by 
the  wisdom  of  the  scribes,  and  disputers  of  this  world.  We 
can  receive  no  true  light  about  this  matter,  but  from  the  foun- 
tain-head of  true  knowledge,  the  sacred  oracles  of  Divine 
revelation.  Thence  it  will  appear,  that  justification  comes 
by  bare  faith.  Ask  a  Christian,  What's  his  faith,  the  spring 
of  all  his  hope?  and  he  answers  you  in  a  word.  The  blood  of 
Christ.  Ask  a  proficient  in  the  popular  doctrine  the  same 
question,  and  he  immediately  begins  to  tell  you  a  long-winded 
story,  how  grace  enabled  him  to  become  a  better  man  than 
he  was,  and  this  he  calls  conversion.  Thus  we  see  what  a 
wide  difTerence  there  is  betwixt  the  false  and  true  grace  of 
God. 

While  the  popular  preachers,  in  conformity  to  their  several 
acts  of  faith,  distinguish  the  human  heart  into  the  understand- 
ing, will,  and  affections,  they  address  themselves  in  an  especial 
manner  to  the  will  and  affections  of  men,  in  order  to  work 
them  up  to  some  ground  of  hope  from  thence ;  for  from  this 
quarter  their  first  ray  of  hope  and  comfort  arises.  All  serious 
souls,  though  labouring  under  the  greatest  complaints  of  im- 
potency,  are  still  supposed  to  have  a  will  to  be  better.  Have 
you  but  the  will?  say  the  preachers;  Christ  will  give  you 
power;  Christ  will  do  all  for  you  But,  then,  what  shall  be 
done  if  the  will  be  averse  ?  Still  the  preachers  are  not  dis- 
couraged, but  being  determined,  like  true  sons  of  the  spirit  of 
self-dependence,  to  blow  up  the  pride  of  men  at  any  rate,  they 
subdivide  or  multiply  the  human  will,  and  suppose  their 
hearers  to  have  an  inclination  to  have  their  will  changed  and 
made  better.     Then  they  exhort  them  thus,  Put  your  unwill- 


LET.  v.]  TIIERON  AND   ASPASIO.  283 

ing  will  into  Christ's  hands,  and  the  work  is  done  :  for  there 
is  no  jargon,  either  so  absurd  or  so  impious,  but  these  men 
will  confidently  utter,  and  their  hearers  will  greedily  swallow, 
while  the  pride  of  both  is  so  strongly  interested.*     In  oppo- 


*  How  fondly  these  men  exercise  themselves  in  tickling  the  religious 
pride  oftheir  hearers,  may  be  clearly  seen  in  many  passages  of  their  wri- 
tings ;  of  which  the  following  may  serve  as  a  specimen.  JMr.  Boston,  in 
a  sermon  on  Lnke  xiv,  23,  called  Gospel-compuhion,  says,  "  Nay,  is  not 
Christ's  hand  at  the  hearts  of  some  just  now?  Do  not  some  of  you  find 
a  moving  of  the  iron  gate  of  your  heart  towards  an  opening  ofit  to  Christ  ? 
Have  you  not  felt  something  within  working  to  compel  you  to  come  in  ? 
Are  not  some  almost  in  already  ?  Thrust  forward.  There  is  no  safety  till 
ye  be  not  only  almost,  but  altogether  Christians."  Doctor  Doddridge,  in 
a  sermon  on  John  vii,  37,  called  Christ's  Incitationto  Thirsty  Souls,  takin^ 
care  to  acquaint  his  audience  widi  the  dignity  of  the  preacher,  in  these 
words,  "  My  friends,  I  have  a  message  from  God  to  you,"  addresses 
them  thus ;  "  Do  you,  my  friends,  feel  any  such  holy  breathings  ?  Can 
you  adopt  these  pathetic  ^vords  of  David,  [Psal.  Ixxxiv,  2,  and  other 
Psalms,]  as  expressive  of  the  inward  sentiments  of  your  soul  ?  Blessed 
be  God  they  art  not  hopeless  desires. — I  would  address  myself  to  those 
who  are  now  thirsting  for  the  blessings  of  the  gospel. 

"  I  hope,  through  grace,  there  are  some  such  amongst  you ;  some  whose 
thirst  is  excited  by  what  hath  now  been  spoken,  and  are  borrovv'ing  the 
words  of  David,  in  a  sublimer  sense,  than  that  in  which  they  were  origin- 
ally intended  ;  0  that  one  icoidd  give  me  to  drink  of  the  icater  of  the  xctU  of 
BethleJiem. — You  may  consider  the  thirst  which  you  feel  as  a  token  for 
good.  The  generality  of  mankind  despise  these  blessings  ;  and  why  do 
you  desire  them  ?  Surely  you  may  consider  these  desires  as  of  a  heavenly 
original.  It  is  the  voice  of  Christ  that  is  now  speaking  ;  it  is  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  that  is  now  pleading  with  your  heart;  so  that  I  may  say  to  you 
as  was  said  to  the  blind  man  in  the  gospel,  who  was  so  earnestly  begging 
a  cure.  Be  of  good  comfort,  rise,  he  culleth  tlice.  What  can  therefore  remain, 
but  that  you  should  immediately  apply  yourselves  to  him  ?  Go  directly 
and  plead  the  case  with  him.  Prostrate  thyself,  O  humble  penitent,  pros- 
trate thyself  before  his  throne,  and  .say.  Blessed  Jesus,  thou  that  knovv- 
est  all  things,  knowest  that  I  thirst  after  the  blessings  of  thy  gospel. 
Thou  seest  that  I  most  ardendy  long  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  the  favour  of 
God,  the  influences  of  thy  Spirit,  and  the  glories  of  thine  heavenly  king- 
dom. I  am  fully  persuaded,  that,  with  regard  to  all  these,  thou  jlrt  able 
to  do  for  me  abund.mtly  ai)ovc  all  that  I  can  ask  or  think.  And  wilt 
thou  not  relieve  me  .'  wilt  thou  not  give  me  to  drink?  Wherefore,  then, 
are  thine  invitations  pul)lished  in  the  gospel  ?  wherefore  didst  thou  pro- 
claim those  gracious  words  which  have  been  this  day  so  frequently  re- 
peated in  tiiine  house  ?  Why  does  thy  spirit  even  now  work  upon  my 
heart,  and  raise  there  this  fervency  of  "desire  ? — Lord,  I  believe,  help  thou 
mine  unbelief. — If  but  one  soul  return  from  the  assem!)ly  with  these  senti- 
ments, and  these  resolutions,  all  the  labours  of  this  day,  and  many  former 
days,  will  be  abundantly  repaid  ;  for  that  soul  will  surely  be  reheved,  and 
God  in  Christ  be  gloritied  and  exalted." 

And  thus  proceeds  Mr.  Willison,  in  his  Sacramental  Directory,  Direct. 
10,  "  O,  then,  stir  up  yourselves  to  take  hold  of  Chri.st,  when  he  is  .so 
near  and  in  your  offer  :  strive  earnesdy  while  there  is  an  ark  prepared, 
and  a  window  opened  in  the  side  of  it,  and  the  hand  of  mercy  put  forth 


284  LETTERS   ON  [LET.   V. 

sition  to  all  this  vile  jarg-ou,  the  Scripture  plainl}^  shows,  that 
all  who  are  relieved  by  the  gospel,  so  are  born  of  God,  are 
born  not  of  the  will  of  man  in  any  shape  wherein  that  will 
can  be  considered.  The  conveyance  of  the  salutary  truth  to 
them  for  their  relief,  as  much  prevents  every  motion  of  their 
will,  as  did  the  sending  of  the  Saviour  into  the  Avorld  to  die 
for  men ;  yea,  as  did  the  Divine  gracious  purpose  before  the 
world  was. 

The  popular  preachers  do,  indeed,  admit  something  like 
the  Scriptural  notion  of  believing,  into  a  corner  of  their 
account  of  faith,  imder  the  title  of  tht  assent  of  faith.  But, 
then,  it  lies  in  so  remote  and  so  dark  a  corner,  as  scarcely  to 
be  seen.  And  if  it  be  at  all  thought  of,  it  is  made  little  or  no 
account  of;  yea,  it  is  often  marked  with  dishonourable 
epithets.  Hence  it  is,  that  we  hear  some  talking  of  the 
vanity  of  an  historical  and  speculative  faith ;  yet,  if  the  gospel- 
history  be  true,  every  one  who  believes  it  shall  be  saved. 
For  is  it  not  enough  to  distinguish  the  belief  of  this  history 
from  the  credit  we  give  to  men,  that  God  himself  is  the  his- 
torian, and  that  the  Divine  character  is  stamped  on  this  his- 
tory, and  so  clearly  shows  who  is  the  author  ?  even  as  we 


to  pull  in  shelterless  doves  that  can  find  no  rest  elsewhere ;  I  say,  strive 
to  come  near  by  the  wings  of  faith  ;  make  your  nest  (at  least)  beside  the 
hole's  mouth :  be  not  found  hovering  without,  lest  the  flood  wash  you  off 
from  the  sides  of  the  ark,  and  ye  perish  miserably. — Plead  the  eonnnuni- 
cativeness  of  his  mercy  to  others. — Plead  his  compassions  towards  the 
finally  obstinate  and  impenitent,  such  as  Jerusalem,  over  which  he  wept, 
Luke  xix.  Lord,  did  thy  heart  melt  with  pity  to  sixch  ;  and  wilt  tliou  not 
pity  a  humbled  sinner,  that  confesseth  his  sin,  and  would  fain  be  reconciled 

to  God?  Is  not  mercy  the  work  thou  delightest  in ?  Micah  vii,  8. 

Lastly,  Labour  for  a  sense  of  the  misery  of  a  Christless  state,  of  your  great 
need  of  Christ,  and  of  the  happiness  oCheing  found  in  him ;  and,  in  a  sense 
thereof,  look  to  Christ,  and  make  a  mint  to  take  hold  of  him.  Stir  up 
yourself  to  it,  and  rest  yourself  on  him  as  you  can,  and  God  will  help 
you  and  communicate  strength.  He  will  not  fail  to  notice  and  encourage 
an  honest  mint :  Jer.  xxx,  21,  '  Who  is  this  that  engageih  his  heart  to 
approach  me  ?'  [_not  to  interrupt  the  preacher,  this  is  evidently  spoken  of  the 
Messiah. '\  He  will  pity  and  help  such.  Try,  O  poor  soul,  if  you  can 
get  a  grip  of  Christ,  especially  upon  a  sacrament-occasion,  when  yon  are 
nearer  hin)  than  at  other  tunes.  If  you  cannot  apply  Christ  to  yourselve.s, 
aiid  say,  He  is  mine  ;  yet  apply  yourself  to  Christ,  and  say,  I  would  fainhe 
thine;  yea,  I  am  resolved  to  be  thine.  Go  forth  to  Christ  with  all  the 
faith  you  can  win  at :  say  with  the  poor  man,  Lord,  I  believe,  help  thou  mjf 
unbelief.  You  must  not  sit  still  and  do  nothing,  but  use  all  means  in  youV 
power;  for  it  is  in  tlje  use  of  these  that  God  works  faith;  hoise  up  the 
sails,  and  wait  for  the  gales.'' 

Such  men  are  our  most  renowned  promoters  of  piety  !  And,  seriously 
speaking,  I  consider  them  as  the  fittest  men  to  have  weight  and  influence 
among  the  populace. 


LET.   v.]  TUERON    AND   ASPASIO.  285 

distinguish  the  writings  of  men  by  the  siy\c,  teiiiper,  and 
genius  of  the  M'riter.  And  the  gospel-history  cannot  be  be- 
lieved on  any  other  footing.  Moreover,  where  is  the  profane 
person  who  admits,  among  the  speculations  which  he  believes, 
that  notion  of  Divine  grace  which  the  whole  gospel  is  writ 
to  establish,  and  aside  from  which  it  cannot  be  understood  7 
yea,  we  may  safely  afhrm,  that  he  who  admits  no  other  spe- 
culation about  the  Divine  grace,  but  what  arises  from  that 
history,  is  a  child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  eternal  life.  How- 
ever common  a  thing  the  belief  of  the  gospel-history  may  be 
supposed  to  be,  yet  if  we  attend  to  things  instead  of  unmean- 
ing words,  and  think  of  the  same  gospel  which  the  apostles 
believed  and  taught,  we  shall  find  that  there  is  as  much  room 
for  Isaiah's  complaint  now  as  formerly  ;  Who  hath  believed 
our  report  ?  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  ? 

Many  of  the  popular  preachers  are  sworn  enemies  to  the 
belief  of  the  truth  as  the  sole  ground  of  hope.  For  instance, 
Mr.  E.  Erskine  says,*  "  Christ  is  offered  particularly  to  every 
man ;  there  is  not  a  soul  hearing  me,  but,  in  God's  name,  1 
offer  Christ  unto  him  as  if  called  by  name  and  sirname. 
Beware,  my  friends,  of  a  general,  doubtsome  faith,  abjured  in 
our  national  covenant,  as  a  branch  of  Popery.  A  general 
persuasion  of  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  and  of  Christ's 
ability  and  willingness  to  save  all  that  come  to  him,  will  not 
do  the  business :  no;  devils  and  reprobates  may,  and  do  ac- 
tually believe  it.  There  must,  therefore,  of  necessity  be  a 
persuasion  and  belief  of  this,  with  particular  application 
thereof  unto  a  man's  own  soul."  The  doubtsome  faith  he 
complains  of,  is  that  which  admits  of  a  doubt  concerning  one's 
own  state.  Now,  a  man  may  have  some  doubts  about  this, 
who  is  very  firmly  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel ; 
yea,  Paul  calls  upon  some  whom  he  himself  looked  upon  as 
believers,  to  examine  themselves,  whether  they  Avere  in  the 
faith;  and  he  exhorts  others,  about  whom  he  observed  the 
surest  tokens  of  their  being  true  Christians,  to  give  all  dili- 
gence to  remove  every  doubt  concerning  their  state  ;  plainly 
intimating,  that  they  could  not  warrantably  be  assured  of 
their  happy  state  by  any  exercises  of  mind,  without  the  fruits 
of  faith,  or  the  self-denied  works  of  obedience. 

The  more  we  search  into  the  doctrine  of  the  popular 
preachers,  the  more  will  our  inquiry  resemble  Ezekiel's 
digging  through  the  wall.  We  shall  still  see  greater  abomi- 
nations.    I  am  sorry  to  see  Aspasio  so  much  carried  away 

*  Sermon  on  Luke  ii,  28,  called  Christ  in  the  Believer's  Arms. 


286  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

with  their  dissimulation.  He  points  out  to  Theron  his 
danger  and  remedy  in  the  following  manner  :  "  If  you  fail 
in  one  point,  or  in  any  degree,  you  are  guilty  of  till.  If  your 
conformity  be  not  pcrseveriiig  as  well  as  jierfect,  you  incur 
the  penalty,  and  are  abandoned  to  the  curse,"  unless  you 
find  mercy  by  what  Christ  hath  already  done :  no  ;  but  "un- 
less, renouncing  all  your  personal  performances,  you  place 
all  your  affiance  on  a  Saviour's  atonement,  and  a  Saviour's 
righteousness.''*  Now,  it  is  not  easy  even  for  one  who  is 
assured  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  to  provide  himself  with  a 
satisfying  answer  to  the  query  made  by  Theron  near  the  be- 
ginning oi  Letter  2,  "Where  that  firm  and  joyful  reliance 
on  Christ  Jesus,  in  any  degree  proportioned  to  his  infinite 
merits  and  inviolable  promises?"  And  if  I  cannot  find  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  but  in  being  conscious  of  perfect  con- 
formity to  this  new  law,  then,  I  am  in  as  great  danger  as 
before,  whenever  I  fail  in  one  point,  or  in  any  degree  ;  and, 
unless  I  be  conscious  that  1  have  arrived  at  the  degree  of 
affiance  or  reliance  proportioned  to  Christ's  merits,  I  can 
never  have  peace  in  this  way.  Again,  in  Letter  5,t  Aspasio 
says,  "This  righteousness  is  h  ova  faith  to  faith  ;  held  forth 
as  it  were  by  an  offering  God,  and  apprehended  by  a  believ- 
ing soul ;  who,  first,  gives  a  firm  assent  to  the  gospel,  then 
cordially  accepts  its  blessings.  From  a  conviction  that  the 
doctrine  is  true,  passes  to  a  persuasion  that  the  privileges  are 
his  own.  When  this  is  effected,  a  foundation  is  laid  for  all 
happiness ;  a  principle  is  wrought  to  produce  all  holiness." 
It  is  largely  and  fully  maintained  by  Aspasio,  elsewhere,  that 
there  can  be  no  true  holiness  till  once  faith,  or  this  principle. 


*  Vol.  2,  p.  304,  305,  Letter  1.  This  good  conduct  of  ours,  by  which 
we  are  said  to  escape  the  curse,  is  more  broadly  expressed  by  Mr.  Boston, 
in  a  sermon  on  Heb.  xi,  28,  entitled,  The  Best  Security  against  the  Day  of 
Wrath.  The  doctrinal  observation  on  which  the  whole  sermon  turns  is 
ex2)ressed  thus, 

"  Doct.  The  believing  management  of  the  sacrament  of  Christ's 
body  and  blood,  is  the  best  security  for  a  sinner  against  the  day  of  wrath." 
And  this  gentleman  would  gravely  persuade  us  to  consider  this  sermon, 
which  is  all  of  a  piece  with  the  leading  observation,  as  a  message  to  us 
from  the  Lord.  For  he  closes  the  sermon  with  these  words  ;  "  Thus  I 
have  delivered  my  message  to  you  from  the  Lord,  as  that  which  I  judged 
is  God's  mind  and  called  to  you  at  this  day.  I  desire  to  venture  myself 
for  time  and  eternity  on  this  bottom  ;  and  it  is  my  request  to  you,  that 
ye  will  take  this  method  this  day  for  your  security  against  the  day  of 
wrath:  and  if  I  should  never  have  another  occasion  of  this  nature  to 
speak  unto  you,  I  would  leave  it  with  you,  That  this,  and  this  only,  is  the 
way  to  be  secured  against  the  day  of  wrath." 

t  Vol.  2,  pp.  367,  368. 


LET.   V.J  THERON  AND   ASPASIO.  287 

be  wrought.  Yet  are  we  not  led  to  think  of  Theron,  as 
advancing  in  holiness  all  the  way  from  the  time  he  begins  to 
keep  his  diary,  till  he  obtains  this  faith?  yea,  he  is  so  far 
advanced  in  holiness,  that  Aspasio  sees  his  title  clear  to  every 
heavenly  blessing,  long  before  he  has  courage  to  act  what  is 
called  faith,  or  that  without  which  faith  cannot  be.  Theron's 
righteousness  at  bottom  lies  in  his  diligence  to  obtain  faith. 
For  faith  is  all  along  supposed  to  be  thus  acquired.  So 
Aspasio  says  near  the  close  of  Letter  11.*  "  Let  us,  then,  be 
diligent  to  obtain,  and  careful  to  increase  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ."  The  gospel-history  gives  us  no  instance  of  an 
unbeliever  diligent  to  obtain  faith,  while  it  gives  us  many  in- 
stances of  believers  careful  to  maintain  and  increase  their 
faith,  or  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

In  Dialogue  5,t  Theron  says,  "  If  Christ  has  done  all, 
and  we  are  entitled  to  his  whole  merits  only  by  believing, 
to  be  saved  must  be  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world:  whereas, 
the  Bible  represents  Christianity  as  a  sharp  ivarfare,^^  &c. 
I  wish  Aspasio  had  told  him  for  answer,  that  if  he  attempted 
to  do  anything,  easy  or  difficult,  under  the  notion  of  an  act 
of  believing,  or  any  other  act,  in  order  to  his  acceptance  with 
God,  he  only  thereby  heaped  up  more  wrath  against  himself. 
But  let  us  hear  him. 

"  Asp.  A  speculative  assent  to  all  the  principles  of  religion, 
is,  I  acknowledge  a  very  easy  matter.  It  ?}ia7/,  it  7}iust  exist, 
whenever  there  is  a  tolerable  capacity  for  reasoning,  and  a 
due  attention  to  evidence.  But  the  faith,  which  far  from 
resting  in  speculation,  exalts  the  desires ;  regulates  the  pas- 
sions, and  refines  the  whole  conversation  ; — this  truly  noble 
and  triumphant  faith  is  no  such  easy  acquisition.  This  is 
the  gift  of  an  infinite  benefactor,"  Ofec.  In  the  next  page,  we 
are  told  by  what  exercise  this  faith  is  acquired.*     The  exer- 


*  Vol.  3.  p.  194. 

t  Vol.  1,  pp.  205— 207. 

t  I  have  said,  the  exercise  by  which  faith  is  acquired ;  because  I  know 
not  well  how  to  find  a  better  form  of  expression.  The  difficulty  is  this  : 
Aspa.sio  calls  this  exercise,  when  first  be^un,  the  exercise  of  faith.  Yet 
this  exercise  must  be  continued  painfully  and  a.ssiduously,  with  many 
struggles,  before  it  arrives  at  Christ,  or  before  it  attains  what  is  essential 
to  faith.  Methinks,  however,  I  may  be  excused,  if  I  find  some  diiliculty 
in  unravelling  distinctly  every  branch  or  form  of  that  doctrine,  which  its 
authors  probably  intended  should  never  be  unravelled.  But  perhaps 
the  difficulty  may  be  removed  thus,  riz.  by  supposing,  that  the  quotation 
referred  to,  describes  the  exercise  by  which  some  sort  of  preliminary  faith 
must  labour  and  struggle  before  it  can  assume  the  form  of  justifying 
faith.     la  this  view  we  may  consider  Theron  as  possessed  of  the  pre- 


288  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

cise  of  this  faith  I  would  not  compare  to  an  active  gentleman 
rising  from  his  seat ;  but  rather  to  a  shipwrecked  mariner, 
labouring  to  gain  some  place  of  safety. — He  espies  a  large 
rock  that  rears  its  head  above  the  boisterous  flood ;  to  this 
he  bears  away,  and  to  this  he  approaches  ;  but  whirling  winds 
and  dashing  waves  drive  him  back  to  an  unhappy  distance. 
— Exerting  all  his  strength  he  advances  nearer  still,  and 
attempts  to  climb  the  desirable  eminence ;  when  a  sweeping 
surge  interposes,  and  drenches  him  again  in  the  rolling  deep. 
— By  determined  efforts  he  recovers  the  space  he  had  lost. 
Now  he  fastens  on  the  clifi^  and  has  almost  escaped  the 
danger ;  but  there  is  such  numbness  in  his  limbs,  that  he  cannot 
maintain  his  hold,  and  such  an  impetuous  swell  in  the  ocean, 
that  he  is  once  more  dislodged,  and  plunged  afresh  into  the 
raging  billows. — What  can  he  do?  His  life,  his  precious 
life,  is  at  stake.  He  must  renew,  still  renew  his  endeavours. 
And  let  him  not  abandon  himself  to  despair.  The  Master 
sees  him  amidst  all  his  fruitless  toil.  Let  him  cry  earnestly. 
Lord,  save  me  I  I  perish !  and  He  who  commandeth  the 
winds  and  the  waves,  will  be  sure  to  put  forth  liis  hand  and 
rescue  him  from  the  devouring  waters. 

"  Such,  my  friend,  so  painful,  so  assiduous,  are  the  strug- 
gles of  faith,  before  it  can  rest  on  peaceful  security  on  the 
Rock  of  Ages,  Christ  Jesus." 

My  expectations  were  greatly  raised  by  the  beautiful  and 
affecting  description  of  the  roi/al  stag-chace,  in  Dialogue  9, 
till  I  saw  that  the  application  issued  in  Mr.  Boston's  faith, 
till  I  saw  the  sinner's  relief  described  as  coming  to  him  by 
means  of  such  conflicts  and  struggles  as  are  represented 
above,  in  the  case  of  the  shipwrecked  mariner,  and  not  like  that 
of  the  desperate  stag,  which  comes  by  the  royal  clemency  alone. 

As  the  similitude  of  the  mariner  glances  at  a  passage  of 
Scripture,  w^e  may  here  take  some  notice  of  that  passage. 
Jesus  instructed  his  apostles,  by  many  miracles,  how  he  would 
afterward  support  and  encourage  them  in  the  course  of  their 
public  ministry,  as  is  more  especially  evident  from  what  he 
says  to  them  on  the  miraculous  draught  of  fish,  and  his  send- 
ing them  forth  without  money  and  without  scrip.  So,  in  his 
saving  Peter  when  ready  to  sink,  after  he  had  in  great  con- 
fidence of  faith  begun  to  walk  upon  the  water,  he  showed 


liniinary  faith,  as  soon  as  he  takes  the  diary  in  his  hand,  and  as  exercising 
this  faith  in  all  his  sTibsequent  l:d)onrs,  till  he  arrives  at  the  appropriating 
act.  This  jtreliniinary  faith,  then,  must  be  the  persuasion,  that  if  he  labour 
and  struggle  well,  he  shall  succeed  the  better. 


LET.   v.]  THKRON  AND  ASPASIO.  289 

him  how  he  was  to  be  supported  unto  the  end ;  not  by  the 
consciousness. of  any  attainment  he  had  already  arrived  at, 
but  by  what  he  believed  ;  and  that  without  his  constant  inter- 
position his  faith  would  fail,  or  his  attention  be  decoyed  away 
from  the  truth,  as  it  was  at  present,  by  his  seeing  the  wind 
boisterous,  Matt,  xiv,  30.  Paul,  who  knew  as  much  of  joy 
and  peace  in  believing  as  any  mortal,  fought  the  good  fight 
of  faith  to  the  last,  not  only  against  the  daily  opposition  he 
met  with  from  his  own  natural  propensities,  but  also  against 
the  constant  opposition  he  met  with  from  the  popular  preach- 
ers of  his  day.  And  he  animates  his  fellow  Christians  to 
the  same  conflict  which  they  saw  and  heard  of  in  him.  The 
Christian  warfare,  then  begins  where  the  popular  doctrine 
brings  it  almost  to  an  end.  The  apostles  wrote  no  treatises 
to  animate  unbelievers  in  their  pious  efforts  to  obtain  faith, 
but  they  showed  much  concern  to  encourage  believers  in 
keeping  the  faith,  and  in  fighting  the  good  fight  thereof  unto 
the  end. 

Accordingly,  as  Christians  were  exposed  to  many  tempta- 
tions, wherein  they  were  apt  to  waver  in  their  minds,  or  to 
call  the  truth  in  question,  we  find  the  apostles  animating 
them,  under  these  temptations,  to  the  full  assurance  of  faith : 
not  the  faith  of  assurance,  which  our  preachers  talk  of,  but 
the  steady  and  assured  belief  of  the  truth.  Such  as  were 
taught  by  the  apostles  to  keep  the  bare  truth,  and  to  live  by 
it  alone,  so  came  to  be  conscious  that  it  alone  was  the  spring 
of  their  life,  by  its  supporting  them  in  all  those  circumstances 
wherein  their  hearts  behooved  otherwise  to  die  within  them; 
such,  I  say,  received  the  additional  witness  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  the  Comforter,  bearing  witness  with  their  spirits, 
that  the  truth  alone  was  the  spring  of  their  joy,  and  the 
ruling  principle  of  their  lives.  Thus  they  had  in  themselves 
an  experimental  confirmation  of  the  truth,  according  to  the 
words  spoken  by  Jesus  to  those  who  believed  on  him,  If  ye 
continue  in  my  word,  then  are  yt  my  disciples  indeed  ;  and 
ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free. 
Thus  they  went  forward  unto  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto 
the  end.  Thus  they  knew  their  interest  in  Christ's  death  by 
the  efiect  that  his  death  had  upon  them.  Thus  they  knew  that 
Christ  in  his  death  loved  them,  and  gave  himself  for  them. 
Every  one  who  can  say  with  Paul,  /  through  the  law  am 
dead  to  the  law,  that  I  might  lice  unto  God.  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ ;  nevertheless,  I  live,  yet  not  I,  hut  Christ  livcth 
in  vie :  and  the.  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  Jiesh,  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  may  also  safely  add,  tvho  loved 
25 


290  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.     I  do  not  frustrate  the  grace 
of  God. 

It  is  now  time  to  inquire  into  the  reasons  why  the  simple 
truth  believed,  is  so  much  set  at  nought  by  the  popular 
preachers,  and  judged  unfit  to  be  the  sole  ground  of  hope ; 
why  now,  as  formerly,  it  is  esteemed  weak  and  little,  even  as 
a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  so  as  men  see  not  what  comfort  or 
benefit  can  arise  from  it. 

It  gave  no  small  encouragement  to  the  first  believers,  who 
had  been  pressed  with  the  impossibility  of  hope  on  every 
side,  that  they  had  now  found  a  truth  by  which  they  might 
he  justified.  On  every  other  side  they  beheld  certain,  inevita- 
ble ruin,  as  knowing  that  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by 
anything  that  men  can  do,  in  obedience  to  any  Divine  pre- 
cept whatsoever,  shall  no  flesh  be  justified. 

The  Divine  truth  affording  hope  to  the  vilest  transgressor, 
that  he  may  be  justified,  that  he  may  escape  the  curse,  and 
find  favour  with  God,  is  lightly  esteemed,  because  men  ima- 
gine a  possibility  of  escape  otherwise ;  or,  which  comes  to 
the  same  thing  at  last,  they  imagine  that  something  beside 
the  bare  truth  may  contribute  more  or  less  toward  their 
escape. 

This  imagined  possibility,  and  the  neglect  of  the  revealed 
possibility  of  deliverance,  are  founded  on  ignorance  of  the 
Divine  justice,  and  contempt  of  the  Divine  sovereignty. 
From  these  two  sources  did  the  ancient  Jewish  disaffection 
to  the  gospel  flow.  Therefore  Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  Avhere  he  labours  to  shut  up  every  door  of  hope 
but  that  of  faith  alone,  makes  it  his  business,  in  an  especial 
manner,  to  establish  and  set  forth,  in  the  strongest  light,  these 
two  Divine  perfections,  and  to  repel  every  objection  that  can 
arise  in  the  mind  of  man  against  them. 

The  justice  and  sovereignty  of  God  are  pretty  openly 
opposed  by  all  our  preachers  of  best  fashion,  and  who  are 
esteemed  to  be  men  of  the  best  sense,  as  speaking  most 
agreeably  to  what  is  called  Nature ;  that  is,  if  we  attend  to 
the  Scripture,  most  agreeably  to  human  pride.  But  those 
who  have  the  greatest  ear  with  the  people  play  with  both 
hands.  Their  doctrine  is  double.  In  formally  stating  the 
articles  of  their  creed  in  opposition  to  heretics,  they  seem  to 
acknowledge  these  Divine  perfections,  as  held  forth  in  Scrip- 
ture ;  but,  in  their  addresses  to  the  people,  they  effectually 
overthrow   them.      So   that,    whatever   way  they  maintain 


LET.   v.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  291 

these  perfections,  it  plainly  appears  they  do  not  love  them ; 
for  the  main  tendency  and  issue  of  their  doctrine  is,  to  set 
them  aside.  Thus  they  arrive,  at  last,  at  the  same  port  with 
the  abovementioned  gentlemen  of  sense  and  fashion,  though 
\vith  the  trouble  of  much  perplexed  circumlocution  to  them- 
selves, and  the  expense  of  much  anxiety  to  their  hearers. 
Yet  their  hearers  are  encouraged  to  sustain  the  expense,  by 
reflecting,  that  hereby  they  arrive  at  a  pitch  of  sanctity,  far 
beyond  the  followers  of  those  w^ho  are  called  mere  legal  or 
moral  preachers. 

As  to  the  first  mentioned  of  these  perfections,  the  Divine 
justice,  the  popular  preachers  set  it  aside,  while,  after  they 
have  declared  men  to  be  guilty,  helpless,  and  under  the  curse, 
they  pereuade  them,  that  there  is  not  only  a  possibility,  but 
also  a  probability  of  their  escape,  by  their  exerting  their 
utmost  endeavours  to  please  God.  All  their  advices  to  the 
'unrege/ieraie  proceed  upon  this  plan.  Mr.  Boston,  having 
hinted  several  such  advices,  and  expostulated  with  his  hear- 
ers upon  them,  says,*  "  These  things  are  within  the  com- 
pass of  natural  abilities,  and  may  be  practised  where  there 
is  710  grace.'"  Near  the  same  place,  he  says,  "  Ye  may  and 
can,  if  ye  please,  do  many  things  that  would  set  you  in  a  fair 
way  for  help  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Ye  may  go  so  far 
on,  as  to  be  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,i  as  the  discreet 
scribe  had  done,  Mark  xii,  34,  though  ('tw^ould  seem)  he 
was  destitute  of  supernatural  abilities."     Again,   near  the 

*  See  Human  Nature  in  its  Fourfold  State,  near  the  end  of  State  2. 

+  Thus  it  would  seem,  a  man  may  discreetly  go  so  very  near  the  king- 
dom of  God,  as  to  need  only  to  be  helped  by  the  hand  over  the  threshold. 
And,  no  doubt,  we  must  tliink  it  would  scarcely  be  discreet,  to  send  a  man 
back  again  disappointed,  who  had  been  at  the  trouble  of  travelhng  the 
far  greater  part  of  the  way.  But  there  is  a  mistake  here.  The  person 
above  referred  to  is,  in  the  sacred  text,  neither  called  a  discreet  scribe, 
nor  is  it  said  that  he  had  gone  so  far  on,  as  not  to  be  far  from  the  king- 
dom of  God.  The  words  of  Mark  run  thus,  And  tchen  Jesus  saw  that 
he  ansuerrd  discreetly,  he  said,  unto  him,  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom 
of  God.  And  no  man  after  that  durst  ask  him  any  question.  Jesus  often 
put  tiie  qnestionor  propounded  the  matter  in  hand,  in  such  a  manner  to 
his  adversaries,  as  to  extort  discreet  answers  from  them.  A  man  may 
be  very  near  the  kingdom  of  God  in  point  of  argument,  who  is  very  far 
from  it  in  every  other  respect.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  main- 
tained the  necessity  of  obedience  to  the  law,  wanted  only  one  step  to 
the  kingdom  of  God;  they  needed  only  to  know  where  that  obedience 
was  to  be  found  :  nevertheless,  the  publicans  and  harlots  went  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  before  them.  They  who,  in  answer  to  Jesus,  said  that 
the  Messiah  was  the  son  of  David,  wanted  only  one  step  or  two  more, 
that  is,  to  know  that  Jesus  was  he,  and  to  understand  how  the  3Iessiali 
was  both  David's  son  and  lord. 


292  LETTERS  ON  [let.  V. 

same  place,  "  If  success  may  be,  the  trial  should  be.  If  ia  a 
wreck  at  sea,  all  the  sailors  and  passengers  had  betaken 
themselves,  each  to  a  broken  board  for  safety,  and  one  of 
them  should  see  all  the  rest  perish,  notwithstanding  of  their 
utmost  endeavours  to  save  themselves,  yet  the  Yery  possibititi/ 
of  escaping  by  that  means  would  determine  that  one  still  to 
do  his  best  with  his  board. — (2.)  'Tis  probable  this  course 
majr  succeed.     God  is  good  and  merciful."  etc. 

As  Theron's  conversion  evidently  proceeds  upon  the  same 
plan,  I  need  not  spend  time  in  adducing  quotations ;  but  I 
cannot  forbear  taking  notice  of  Aspasio's  words,  in  vol.  1,  p. 
23  :  "  Is  any  one  convinced  of  guilt,  as  provoking  Heaven 
and  ruining  the  soul? — Let  him  ask  Reason  to  point  out  a 
means  of  reconciliation,  and  a  refuge  of  safety.  Reason  hesi- 
tates, as  she  replies,  The  Deity,  may,  perhaps,  accept  our  sup- 
plications,  and  grant  forgiveness.  But  the  Scriptures  leave 
us  not  to  the  sad  uncertainty  of  conjecture.  They  speak  the 
language  of  clear  assurance.  God  has  set  forth  a  propitia- 
tion ;  he  does  forgive  our  iniquities ;  he  will  remember  our 
sins  no  more." 

Reason  is  here  said  to  hesitate  in  her  reply,  because  she 
only  asserts  a  possibility  of  safety.  Had  Aspasio  said,  Let 
the  guilty  person  ask  his  pride,  and  it  will  whisper  to  him, 
"  The  Deity,  may,  perhaps  accept  our  supplications  and  grant 
forgiveness  ;"  I  had  frankly  agreed  with  him.  What  Aspa- 
sio admits  for  reason,  is  indeed  very  agreeable  to  the  first  rea- 
soning against  revelation.  Ye  shall  not  surely  die,  or  it  may 
))e  otherwise.  He  appears  here  very  modest,  and  loath  to 
offend  the  dignity  of  Reason,  while  he  admits  her  suggestion, 
that  the  Deity  may  relent  at  our  cries.  But  why  did  he  not 
show  the  same  complaisance  to  the  sacred  truth  ?  What  pro- 
voked him  to  interpose  the  boldest  negative  against  any  man- 
ner of  advantage,  arising  from  the  bare  persuasion  of  it,  by 
confidently  saying,  iVc),  ^i^re/?/ ?  The  answer  is  plain:  He 
had  already  given  the  prize  to  Reason,  so  nothing  remained 
for  the  truth. 

Thus  far,  then,  I  understand  and  agree  with  him.  So 
long  as  any  man  hearkens  to  his  reason,  whispering  to  him 
that  God  may,  in  any  event,  or  on  any  consideration  whatso- 
ever, abate  the  rigour  of  his  law ;  I  freely  own  he  can  reap 
no  manner  of  advantage  from  the  bare  persuasion  of  the  truth 
of  the  gospel.  He  may  indeed  be  a  very  proper  disciple  for 
the  popular  preachers ;  but  the  gospel  relieves  only  the  des- 
perate, even  those  who  are  at  an  utter  impossibility  of  hope 
from  every  other  quarter.     And  to  all  such  it  proves  indeed 


LET.  v.]  TIIIiRON  AND  ASPASIO.  293 

a  very  comfortable  refreshment ;  and  the  more  so,  that  it  opens 
a  door  of  hope,  without  invalidating  our  natural  notions  in 
the  least.  For  these  must  always  be  preserved  in  force. — 
Yea,  if  these  be  set  aside,  no  revelation  can  evidence  itself 
to  us  as  coming-  from  the  God  who  made  us.  If,  then,  nature 
can  teach  us  that  God  may  be  gracious,  so  as  to  forgive  sin, 
it  must  at  the  same  time  teach  us,  that  he  may  be  just  in  so 
doing.  Justice,  with  the  greatest  profusion  of  kindness  in 
that  channel,  is  our  primary  notion  of  the  Divine  character ; 
and  had  we  not  departed  from  our  duty,  there  had  been  no 
occasion  for  pardoning  mercy  to  appear,  as  any  part  of  the 
character  of  our  Almighty  Lawgiver  and  Judge.  I  insist 
upon  it,  then,  that  from  whatever  source  we  learn  that  God 
may  be  gracious  in  forgiving  sin,  we  must  also  learn  how 
he  may  be  just  in  so  doing.  Now,  this  is  the  very  place 
which  the  Scripture  assigns  for  the  atonement.  Paul  assures 
us  at  large,  that  it  was  exhibited  for  this  very  purpose,  to  de- 
clare the  justice  of  God,  that  he  might  be  just,  in  justifying  the 
ungodly  and  receiving  them  into  favour. 

It  must  be  in  conformity  to  the  abovementioned  rational 
possibility,  that  the  note  at  the  foot  of  p.  202,  vol.  2,  in  com- 
plaisance to  the  ancient  and  modern  philosophers,  leaves  it  as 
a  question  undecided.  Whether  those  who,  during  this  life, 
know  not  God,  or  if  they  know  him,  glorify  him  not  as  God, 
"  shall  obtain  mercy  1  or  which  of  them  shall  be  objects  of 
Divine  clemency  ?"  though  the  Scripture  expressly  declares, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  Heaven,  with  his 
mighty  angds,  in  fiam'mg  fire,  taking  vengeance  o?i  them 
that  hioiv  not  God ;  and  though  it  be  no  less  evident  from 
the  Scripture,  that  all  tvhom  God  ivill  have  to  be  saved,  he 
will  have  to  come  to  theknowledge  of  the  truth. 

Whatever  people  may  choose  to  mean  by  reason,  this  one 
thing  we  may  safely  affirm,  that  the  proper  distinction  betwixt 
man  and  other  animals,  lies  in  his  natural  knowledge  of  God 
and  his  law.  The  written  law  is  the  public  authentic  stand- 
ard of  that  knowledge.  To  love  God  and  our  neighbour  as 
it  directs,  will  be  approved  by  every  conscience  of  man  round 
the  globe  at  first  hearing.  The  more  improved,  then,  or 
the  more  perfect  any  man's  natural  knowledge  is,  the  nearer 
will  it  come  to  the  authentic  standard.  Now,  what  did  the 
Avritten  law  serve  for  in  the  consciences  of  those  who  under- 
stood it  best  ?  Paul  tells  us,  By  the  law  is  the  knoivledge  of 
sin. —  The  law  worketh  wrath.  Therefore,  the  more  perfect 
any  man's  natural  knowledge  of  God  is,  the  more  miserable 
25* 


294  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

must  he  find  himself,  or,  in  other  words,  the  more  just  sense 
or  feeling-  he  must  have  of  his  real  condition. 

If,  then,  we  might  be  allowed  once  more  to  use  so  much 
freedom  with  words,  as  to  call  that  knowledge  which  distin- 
guishes men  from  brutes  by  the  name  of  reason,  we  must 
say,  that  the  more  justly  one  reasons,  the  more  unhappy  he 
finds  himself;  we  must  lay  it  down  for  a  maxim,  that  to 
reason  justly,  is  to  despair.* 

Before  we  leave  this  topic,  it  may  be  proper  to  observe 
that  many  noted  preachers,  pretending  to  enlarge  our  ideas 
of  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God,  plainly  discover  their  own 
ignorance  of  his  justice,  while  they  tell  us  that  God,  if  he  had 
pleased,  might  have  devised  some  other  method  of  taking 
away  sin  than  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  Son.  On  this  it  may 
suffice  to  say,  that  had  there  been  such  a  possibility  in  the 
Deity,  it  had  without  all  peradventure  taken  place,  in  answer 
to  the  supplication  of  Jesus :  O  my  Father,  if  it  he  possible, 
let  this  cuj)  pass  from  me  ;  nevertheless  not  as  I  will,  but  as 
thou  wilt. — O  m?/  Father,  if  this  cup  may  not  pass  from  me, 
except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done.\ 

*  Philosophers  themselves  are  very  sensible  of  the  force  of  what  is 
above  maintained,  as  appears  from  their  common  complaint  of  the 
weakness  of  what  they  call  reason,  when  opposed  to  the  strong  propen- 
sity in  our  nature  to  dread  some  invisible  power.  They  have,  indeed, 
very  solid  ground  for  their  complaint,  for  daily  experience  shows  them, 
that  nature  at  last  overcomes  art.  They  are  sensible  that  the  presump- 
tions of  pride,  however  artfully  devised,  however  ingeniously  adjusted, 
are,  upon  many  occasions,  not  to  mention  the  last  and  most  important 
one,  found  too  weak  to  resist,  too  light  to  overbalance  the  natural  language 
of  conscience,  or  the  voice  of  God  within  them. 

On  this  occasion,  I  cannot  forbear  acknowledging,  that  when  I  read 
tlie  writings  of  philosophers,  it  gives  me  some  satisfaction  to  find,  that 
even  they,  by  their  utmost  efforts,  have  not  been  able  wholly  to  unlearn 
that  knowledge  which  the  Deity  has  taught  the  human  race,  and  by 
which  he  has  distinguished  it  from  ever}^  otlier  species  of  animals.  Thus 
it  is  evident,  that  even  they  are  entitled  to  a  share  of  that  honour  which 
the  Scriptures  calls  us  to  pay  to  all  men. 

t  I  shall  here  take  notice  of  this  passage,  which  exhibits  the  highest 
view  of  the  unparalleled  obedience  and  submission  of  Jesus  Christ;  and 
the  rather,  because  his  behaviour  on  this  occasion  has  been  thought  by 
many  to  stand  in  need  of  something  very  like  an  apology  ;  as,  (Dial.  vol. 
1,  p.  135,)  "  that  his  sufferings  were  so  great,  so  terrible,  that  his  nature, 
being  human,  could  not  but  recoil  a  little,  and  be  startled  at  their  ap- 
proach." 

These  prayers  are  referred  to  in  Heb.  v.  7,  wliore  it  is  said  of  Christ, 
7chen  he  had  offered  up  -prayers  and  svpplicaiicns,  with  strovg  ayivg  citid 
tears,  unto  him  that  teas  able  to  sare  him  from  death,  and  teas  heard  for  his 
reverrnce  [or  piety].  In  ifiese  prayers,  he  ofTered  up  the  perfection  of 
obedience  in  full  confidence  of  acceptance.  The  more  holy  any  person 
IS,  or  the  more  fervently  he  love:i  (iod,  and  delights  hi  liis  favour,  so 


LET.  v.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  295 

Having  briefly  pointed  at  some  of  the  methods  by  which 
the  popular  preachers  set  aside  the  Divine  justice,  so  as  to 
render  the  sacred  truth  of  little  or  no  value  in  the  eyes  of  men, 
let  us  next  observe  how  they  set  themselves  in  opposition  to 
the  Divine  sovereignty. — And  we  shall  find,  that  for  every 
jewel  they  rob  from  the  crown  of  the  Most  High,  they  plant 
a  feather  in  the  crest  of  human  pride. 

They  are  disafTected  to  the  simple  belief  of  the  gospel  as 
the  sole  ground  of  hope,  because  it  leaves  a  man  even  in  the 
full  assurance  of  faith,  or  when  the  truth  is  most  present  to 
his  thoughts,  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  God  for  his  salvation ; 
or  because  it  leads  him  to  the  greatest  reverence  for,  and  sub- 
mission to  the  Divine  sovereignty,  without  having  any  claim 
upon  God  whatsoever,  or  finding  any  reason  why  God  should 
regard  him  more  than  those  who  perish.  Hence  it  is,  that  in 
leading  their  hearers  to  faith,  they  constantly  instruct  them 
how  to  qualify  themselves,  so  as  they  may  be  in  a  condition 
to  advance  some  claim  upon  the  Deity,  and  treat  with  him  on 
some  rule  of  equity ;  or  so  as  they  may  find  some  reason  why 
he  should  regard  them  more  than  others,  and,  accordingly, 
grant  the  favours  they  desire  of  him.  They  maintain,  indeed, 
that  men  can  obtain  no  benefit  from  the  Deity  but  in  the  way 
of  grace  ;  yet,  it  is  evident,  that  grace  obtained  in  the  way  they 
direct  is  improperly  so  called,  at  least  it  is  very  difl^eretit  from 
the  apostolic  notion  of  the  Divine  grace. 

Paul,  when  speaking  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  Divine  choice 
of  men  to  salvation,  as  proceeding  upon  grace,  in  opposition 
to  every  notion  of  desert  in  those  who  are  chosen,  distin- 
guishes that  grace  in  the  following  manner  :  And  if  by  grace, 

much  the  greater  aversion  and  rekictance  he  must  have  to  his  displeasure, 
or  the  hiding  of  his  iace ;  or,  to  say  the  same  thing  in  other  words,  the 
less  any  man  loves  God,  the  less  disquiet  will  he  feel  at  the  want  of  the 
sense  of  his  favour.  Jesus  Christ  loved  the  Father  with  a  perfect  heart, 
and,  therefore,  he  had  the  utmost  in.supportal)le  aversion  to  his  displeasure 
when  he  felt  it.  This  was  death  to  him.  So  when  he  began  to  be  sor- 
rowful, and  very  heavy,  on  the  hiding  of  the  Father's  face  from  him,  he 
signified  to  his  disciples  that  he  knew  this  sorrow  would  kill  him ;  My 
soul  is  exceedingly  sorroirful,  even  unto  death  :  yet  to  that  misery,  to  which 
he  was  as  averse  as  he  was  holy,  he  submitted,  for  the  glory  of  his  Father 
and  the  salvation  of  his  people.  Here,  then,  we  see  manifested  such 
perfection  of  love  to,  or  delight  in  God,  and  withal  such  perfect  and 
unparalleled  submission  to  his  will,  as  equally  became  a  divine  person. 
And  his  aversion  is  e.\pre.ssed  in  no  stronger  terms  than  were  necessary 
to  show  the  greatness  of  his  submission.  Both  are  strongly  marked  to 
us  in  these  words  ;  Not  my  tcill,  hut  thine  he  done.  All  the  words,  then, 
which  Jesus  uttered  in  his  agony,  equally  conspire  to  manifest  a  disposi- 
tion truly  divine,  and  that  he  who  uttered  the,m  was  a  divine  person. 


206  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

then  is  it  no  more  of  works;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace ; 
but  if  it  he  of  tcorks,  then  is  it  no  more  grace  ;  otherivise  work 
is  no  work.  If  this  one  text  were  well  understood,  the  whole 
body  of  the  popular  doctrine  would  fall  to  the  ground  at  once. 
Here  we  see  how  different  the  Divine  choice  is  from  that  of 
men,  who  choose  what  is  best  and  reject  what  is  worst.  God  in 
blessing  men,  or  choosing*  them  to  blessedness,  has  no  regard 
to  any  distinction  among  them.  All  the  objects  of  his  favour 
are  such  as  deserved  equally  to  be  rejected.  According  to  the 
apostle's  reasoning,  when  God  blesses  any  man  of  grace,  he 
has  no  regard  to  any  work,  requisite,  or  motion  of  his  will,  by 
which  he  excels  another  ;  for  if  he  had,  then  the  grace  thus 
said  to  be  bestowed  would  be  no  more  grace,  but  rather  the 
respect  due  to  worth,  or  the  reward  belonging  to  the  work. 
Again,  if  God  chooses  or  blesses  any  man  on  account  of  any 
\vork  or  good  motion  by  which  he  excels  others,  then  it  is 
plain  grace  cannot  take  place  here.  For  if  w^e  should  sup- 
pose it  did,  then  work  is  no  more  work;  or  we  lose  entirely 
the  proper  notion  of  working,  and  its  connection  w^ith  reward. 
In  like  manner  the  same  apostle,  Rom.  iv,  4 — 6,  says, 
Now  to  him  that  worketk,  is  the  reviard  not  reckoned  of  grace, 
but  of  debt ;  but  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
that  justi/ieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteous-' 
ness.  Even  as  David  also  describeih  the  blessedness  of  the 
man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works. 

If,  then,  we  say  with  the  apostle,  that  the  faith  of  him  who 
worketh  not  is  counted  for  righteousness,  we  cannot  affirm 
with  Aspasio,  "  That  faith  is  a  work  exerted  by  the  human 
mind,  is  equally  certain  ;"*  unless  we  should  understand  the 
Apostle  to  mean,  that  righteousness  is  imputed  to  men,  not 
working  after  the  Jewish  manner,  but  working  according  to 
the  directions  of  Christian  teachers,  exerting  the  acts  of  faith, 
and  acquiring  the  requisites  described  by  them.  I  know 
Aspasio  is  ready  to  tell  me  that  grace,  or  the  gift  of  righteous- 
ness, is  the  cause  of  justification,  and  the  ground  of  comfort  to 
him  that  exerts  the  act  of  faith.  But  what  does  this  amount 
to?  It  only  leads  us  to  say,  that  grace  and  comfort  are  bestowed 
on  him  who  worketh.  Thus  all  the  notions  of  grace  and 
work  given  us  in  the  Scripture  are  entirely  confounded. 

No  doctrine  in  Scripture  wears  a  more  amiable  and  invi- 
ting- aspect  to  the  self-condemned,  than  that  of  the  Divine  sove- 
reignty, as  described  by  Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
especially,  chap.  ix.     This  removes  every  cause  of  despair 

*  Vol.  2,  p.  62. 


LET.   v.]  THERON'  AND  ASPASIO.  297 

to  the  most  wretched  of  mankind.  For  who  can  be  led  to 
despair  by  the  view  of  any  deficiency  about  himself  what- 
ever, who  knows  that  none  but  the  utterly  deficient  are  chosen 
of  God  to  salvation  ?  As  no  doctrine  is  more  encouraging 
than  this  to  the  miserable,  so  none  is  more  provoking  to 
the  sons  of  pride,  who  want  to  stand  upon  their  distinctions 
before  God,  and  are  not  yet  reduced  so  low  as  to  be  entirely 
lat  mercy  for  their  salvation.  Though  this  doctrine  is  not 
yet  erased  out  of  the  standards  of  either  of  our  national 
churches,  yet  it  is  generally  opposed,  and  held  in  great  con- 
tempt both  by  clergy  and  laity,  as  well  as  by  the  dissenters. 
Many  declaimers  about  the  Divine  benevolence,  with  open 
mouth,  show  their  spite  against  the  Divine  goodness  preached 
by  Paul.  Many  zealous  disputers  against  Deists  and  infi- 
dels, with  great  arrogance  renounce  the  Sovereign  of  the 
universe.  And  if  we  observe  the  artifices  of  the  popular 
preachers,  we  shall  find  them  likewise  denying  the  god 
THAT  IS  ABOVE.  Yet  this  hated  article  of  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Divine  choice,  will  ever  be  held  most  sacred  by  all 
who  love  the  ancient  gospel.  To  them  it  is  highly  accepta- 
ble, because  they  know  that  there  was  no  occasion  for  such 
sovereignty  to  appear,  but  that  grace  might  be  shown  to  the 
worthless.  They  know  that  otherwise  all  mankind,  without 
distinction,  had  perished  according  to  every  rule  of  equity. 

The  popular  preachers  are  greatly  disgusted  at  this  doc- 
trine, because,  according  to  their  own  style,  "  here  is  no  visi- 
ble ground  for  faith  to  rest  upon."  Here  no  man's  pride  is 
flattered ;  no  man  can  find  any  ground  to  presume  that  the 
Deity  regards  him  more  than  others.  Therefore,  while  they 
are  busy  in  stimulating  their  hearers  to  the  exercise  of  faith, 
they  are  at  great  pains  to  keep  this  doctrine  as  far  removed 
from  their  thoughts  as  possible.  But  when  once  the  hearers, 
by  their  assistance,  have  prepared  some  ground  for  faith  to 
rest  upon,  then  they  are  freely  allowed  to  solace  themselves 
with  the  doctrine  of  election,  because  they  have  now  acquired 
some  reason  why  God  in  his  choice  should  respect  them  more 
than  others. 

This  is  a  very  nice  part  of  the  popular  doctrine.  Here 
the  preacher  finds  use  for  all  his  artifice,  and  is  obliged  to 
employ  his  utmost  dexterity  in  shifting  hands.  Here,  to 
throw  a  veil  over  the  eyes  of  the  people,  they  distinguish 
betwixt  the  word,  proniise,  call,  or  testimony,  and  i\^e  fur'pose 
of  God;  as  if  this  last  wore  a  more  forbidding  aspect  than 
the  former ;  whereas,  it  is  very  evident  from  the  Scripture, 
that  the  Divine  word,  promise,  call,  or  testimony,  leaves  it 


298  LETTERS  OX  [LET.  V. 

as  much  a  secret  who  shall  be  saved,  as  the  doctrine  of  the 
Divme  purpose  or  election  does.  Yea,  so  idle  and  ill-placed 
is  their  distinction  here,  that  we  find  the  Scripture  commonly 
intimating  the  Divine  purpose  of  making  a  distinction  among 
mankind,  in  the  very  bosom  of  that  testimony  which  must  be 
believed  for  justification.  When  we  read  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment such  words  as  these,  Aiid  thou  shall  call  his  name  Jesus  ; 
for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins ;  do  we  not  see 
a  distinction  among  mankind,  according  to  grace,  plainly  inti- 
mated in  this  summary  of  the  faith  ?  And  it  would  be  easy 
to  produce  from  the  Scripture  many  other  summaries  of  the 
faith  intimating  the  same  distinction.  In  a  word,  so  closely 
is  the  doctrine  of  election  connected  with  what  men  believe 
for  righteousness,  that  there  is  no  disjoining  of  them,  nor  can 
the  one  be  understood  from  the  other. 

The  preachers,  speaking  of  election,  represent  the  Deity 
as  keeping  secret  his  gracious  intentions  as  to  particular  per- 
sons, and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  revealing  his  gracious  inten- 
tions to  the  same  persons  in  his  word  and  promise.  And 
while  they  are  busy  prompting  their  hearers  to  exert  the 
appropriating  act  of  faith,  they  show  no  small  fear  lest  the 
devil  tempt  them  to  think  of  election  ;  and,  accordingly, 
are  careful  to  guard  them  strongly  on  that  hand.  Let  us 
hear  Mr.  Ralph  Erskine,  who  preaches  in  the  same  spirit 
with  his  brother  Ebenezer.  In  a  sermon  on  2  Cor.  v,  18, 
called,  The  Fountain  Head  of  all  Blessings,  he  says,  p.  38, 
"  2.  But  what  ground  have  I  to  think  he  is  reconciled  to  me? 
I  ansicer,  If  the  word  of  reconciliation  be  sent  to  you,  upon 
that  ground  you  may  believe  that  he  is  reconciled  to  you. 
Now,  he  hath  committed  to  us  the  w^ord  of  reconciliation,  and 
charged  us  to  preach  the  gospel  of  reconciliation  to  every 
creature,  to  every  soul  among  you  ;  and  he  that  hath  obliged 
us  to  proclaim  to  you  how  he  is  reconciled  in  Christ,  and 
hath  all  things  to  give  in  and  through  him,  he  obliges  you 
to  believe  that  he  is  reconciled  to  you." 

"  3.  But  how  can  this  be,  seeing  he  hath  not  a  secret  purpose 
of  reconciliation  to  all,  and,  therefore  perhaps,  not  to  me?  A?ls. 
O  !  what  a  malicious  devil  is  tempting  thy  unbelieving  heart 
to  look  to  w^hat  God  designs,  before  you  look  to  what  he 
declares,  to  look  to  his  purpose,  before  you  look  to  his  pro- 
mise ?  How  can  you  see  his  purpose  but  in  the  glass  of  his 
promise?  How  can  you  know  his  heart  but  by  his  word! 
But  in  the  glass  of  his  promise  you  may  see  his  purpose  of 
grace  to  you,  for  the  promise  is  to  you.  And,  in  his  word 
of  reconciliation,  you  may  see  his  reconciled  heart  toward 


LET.  v.]  TIIERON   AND  aSPASIO  299 

you,  for  to  you  is  the  word  of  salvation  sent,  to  you  is  the 
word  of  reconciliation  sent.  And  if  thou,  man,  woman,  lass, 
lad,  canst  believe  that  his  kind  word  is  to  thee,  and  thee  in 
particular,  then  thou  shalt  see,  that  his  kind  heart  is  toward 
thee,  and  thee  particularly." 

Mr.  Ebenezer,  in  his  sermon  on  Luke  ii,  28,  called,  Christ 
in  the  Believer's  Arms,  says,  p.  14,  "1  do  not  say,  that  the 
first  language  of  faith  is  that  Christ  died  for  me,  or  I  was 
elected  from  eternity.  No  ;  but  the  language  of  faith  is,  God 
offers  a  slain  and  crucified  Saviour  to  me,  and  I  take  the 
slain  Christ  for  my  Saviour  ;  and  in  my  taking  or  embracing 
of  him  as  offered,  I  have  ground  to  conclude  that  I  was 
elected,  and  that  he  died  for  me  in  particular,  and  not  before. 
I  shall  only  add,  that  this  appropriating  act  doth  inseparably 
attend  the  knowledge  and  assent  before  mentioned,  and  that 
they  are  all  jointly  comprised  in  the  general  nature  of  saving 
faith,  which  I  take  up  as  an  act  of  the  whole  soul,  without 
restricting  it  to  any  one  faculty,  or  distinction  as  to  priority, 
or  posteriority  of  time."  It  were  easy,  you  know,  to  produce 
many  quotations  to  the  same  purpose,  but  these  may  suffice. 

If  we  require  how  God's  gracious  purpose,  or  design,  is 
signified  to  any  person  in  the  word  of  promise,  Mr.  Boston, 
and  the  two  brothers  abovementioned,  have  another  artifice 
in  readiness  to  amuse  us  with.  They  tell  us,  "  that  God  hath 
made  a  grant  or  deed  of  gift  of  Christ  and  all  his  benefits 
to  sinners  of  mankind,  especially  to  the  hearers  of  the  gospel, 
or  more  especially  to  those  who  are  members  of  (what  they 
call)  the  visible  church.  Bat,  when  we  inquire  into  this 
again,  we  find  it  turns  out  to  be  a  gift  of  benefits  to  multitudes 
who  are  never  benefited  thereby.  In  such  manner  do  thev 
proceed,  venting  their  own  fancies  about  the  Deity,  and  tri- 
fling with  mankind  in  the  most  sacred  matters. 

I  proceed  now  to  take  notice  of  another  notable  artifice,  by 
which  they  set  aside  the  Divine  sovereignty.  They  urge 
the  hearer  to  believe,  that  Christ  is  as  unlling  to  save  him  as 
he  is  able.  This,  at  first  view,  seems  somewhat  plausible  ; 
and  the  hearer  is  led  to  think  it  would  be  impious  to  move 
any  objection.  But  here  it  must  be  considered,  that  so  soon 
as  any  man  knows  that  Christ  is  willing  to  save  him,  he 
knows  that  he  shall  infallibly  be  saved,  seeing-  it  is  simply 
impossible  that  the  Divine  will  can  be  frustrated.  Here  the 
preachers,  who  seldom  fail  to  find  some  subterfuge  or  other, 
are  ready  to  extricate  themselves,  by  giving  us  to  understand 
that  Christ  is  willing  to  save  him,  whose  will  is  previously 
well  disposed  to  accept  of  him  in  all  his  offices,  so  is  ready 


300  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

to  obey  all  his  commandments.  Thus  the  Divine  willingness 
to  save  him,  which  the  hearer  is  called  to  believe,  and  which 
is  displayed  before  him,  with  many  high-sounding  words  of 
Divine  grace,  turns  out  to  no  more  account  than  the  above- 
mentioned  grant  or  deed  of  gift.  And  it  might,  with  equal  pro- 
priety, be  said,  that  there  is  a  grant  of  life  made  in  the  law, 
and  that  the  Divine  willingness  to  bless  men  is  therein 
expressed,  Keep  the  commandments  and  thou  shalt  live. 

In  Dialogue  16,  Aspasio  addresses  his  friend  thus  :  "  Have 
you  not  sometimes,  Theron,  been  overtaken  by  the  dark  and 
tempestuous  night  ?  When  chilled  with  cold,  and  almost 
drowned  in  the  rain,  you  arrived  late  at  the  house  of  some 
valued  friend,  was  you  not  willing  to  gain  admittance  ?  Per- 
haps you  thought  every  moment  an  hour  till  the  hospitable 
door  opened  ,  till  you  exchanged  the  dismal  gloom,  and  the 
driving  storm,  for  the  cheerful  light,  and  the  amiable  company 
within. — The  adored  Immanuel  professes  himself  equally 
willing  to  come  unto  you,  who  hearken  to  his  voice  and 
consent  to  his  overtures ;  equally  willing  to  make  his  abode 
with  you,  to  manifest  his  glories  in  you,  and  communicate 
his  merits  to  you."  When  1  first  read  this  passage  in  com- 
pany, one  of  your  fondest  readers,  who  sat  by,  and  who  had 
not  been  able  to  refrain  from  tears  of  satisfaction  at  a  variety 
of  the  foregoing  pages,  on  hearing  the  words  now  quoted, 
interrupted  with  some  vehemence,  saying:  "It  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth 
mercy." 

Let  us  now  observe  what  faith  is  approved  of  in  Scrip- 
ture, and  what  respect  is  had  to  the  Divine  sovereignty  therein. 
It  is  acknowledged,  that  as  the  miracles  of  healing  were 
signs  of  Christ's  power  to  save  his  people  from  their  sins,  so 
the  faith  of  those  who  were  healed,  serves  as  a  pattern  of 
believing  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  Now,  we  see  what  faith 
Jesus  called  for  in  the  two  blind  men  who  followed  him, 
Matt,  ix,  28.  When  he  said  unto  them,  "  Believe  ye  that  I 
can  do  this?"  upon  "their  simply  answering,  "Yea,  Lord," 
we  find  him  approving  their  faith,  in  v.  29.  "  Then  touched 
he  their  eyes,  saying,  According  to  your  faith,  be  it  unto 
you."  The  like  approbation  is  given  to  the  faith  of  the  leper, 
which  is  expressed  in  these  words.  Matt,  viii,  2,  "  Lord,  if 
thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.  For  Jesus  put  forth 
his  hand,  and  touched   him,  saying,  "  I  will,  be  thou  clean. 

*  Vol.  3,  p.  274. 


i 


LET.    v.]  TIIEROX  AND  ASPASIO.  301 

And  immediately  his  leprosy  Avas  cleansed."  The  leper, 
like  the  two  blind  men,  was  fully  persuaded  that  Christ  was 
able  to  relieve  him.  Yet  as  he  had  no  claim  upon  him,  h»j 
referred  his  request  entirely  to  his  sovereign  pleasure.  In 
the  full  assurance  of  faith  he  was  at  Christ's  mercy,  who  was 
no  way  obligfxl  to  apply  his  healing  power  to  him.  And  by 
this  faith  he  was  healed;  for  Christ  said,  "I  will,  be  thou 
clean."  But  to  him  that  said,  Mark  ix,  22,  "If  thou  canst 
do  anything,  have  compassion  on  us,  and  help  us;"  Jesus 
answered,  "  If  thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible  to 
him  that  believeth."  This  man  knew  that  Jesus,  and  his 
disciples  likewise,  had  cast  out  devils,  and  cured  many;  but 
as  he  brought  his  son  to  his  disciples,  and  they  could  not 
cure  him,  he  did  not  know  if  Christ's  power  extended  to  this 
grievous  case.  So  the  defect  of  his  faith  lay  in  his  doubting 
Christ's  ability,  as  Christ's  answer  plainly  intimates.  Thus, 
in  the  sense  now  explained,  I  am  ready  to  own,  that  this 
man's  faith  was  deficient  for  want  of  particular  application 
to  his  own  case,  his  own  present  necessity ;  were  it  not,  that 
I  hate  the  shadow  of  distinctions  coined  by  the  popular 
preachers.  For  who  can  doubt  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ 
to  save  him,  in  the  worst  condition  wherein  he  can  find  him- 
self, without  doubting  the  common  salvation,  swerving  from 
the  common  faith,  and  calling  in  question  Christ's  ability  to 
save  to  the  uttermost  ? 

The  same  faith,  with  that  of  the  leper,  appears  in  the 
prayer  of  the  publican,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  ;" 
and  in  that  of  the  thief  on  the  cross,  "  Lord,  remember  me 
when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom."  The  same  faith 
appeared  in  the  centurion,  who  addiessed  Jesus  thus,  "  Speak 
the  word  only,  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed  ;"  having  said 
before,  "  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy."  On  this  occasion,  Jesus 
utters  these  remarkable  words :  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I 
have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no  not  in  Israel.  And  I  say 
unto  you,  that  many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and 
shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  But  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  cast  out  into  outer  darkness :  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth."  Here  it  is  plainly  intimated,  that  many 
of  the  idolatrous  Gentiles,  who  were  afar  offi  and  aliens  from 
God,  should  be  introduced  into  his  heavenly  kingdom  by  the 
like  faith,  bringing  all  who  have  it  into  submission  to  the 
Divine  sovereignty  ;  while  those  who  imagined  they  had  any 
rlaimupon  God,  or  ncnrer  relation  to  him  than  others,  so  had 
26 


302  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  T 

their  faith  vitiated,  by  a  fatal  mistake  contained  in  the  bosom 

of  it,  should  be  rejected. 

The  faith  approved  by  Jesus,  well  corresponds  with  the 
grace  by  which  men  are  saved.  When  the  world  was  ripe 
tor  condemnation,  God  sent  his  Son,  not  to  condemn,  but  to 
save.  Sovereign  grace  interposed,  providing  a  righteousness 
for  the  guilty  world.  And  it  reigns  by  that  righteousness 
preventing  the  will  of  men  unto  their  salvation.  Faith 
answers  to  the  grace  revealed,  as  the  impression  to  the  seal. 
When  once  the  gift  of  righteousness  is  made  known  to  any 
man,  the  character  of  God  therein  manifested  is  ratified  and 
ascertained  in  his  heart.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of 
God,  hath  the  record  in  himself, — the  record  that  God 
gave  of  his  Son."  In  the  promise  to  Abraham,  that  he 
should  be  a  father  of  many  nations,  when  it  was  impossible, 
according  to  nature,  that  he  could  be  a  father,  God  proposed 
himself  as  able  to  raise  the  dead,  and  call  into  being  things 
that  were  not.  So  Abraham's  faith  is  described  as  {Karcuavn) 
"  answerable  to  him  whom  he  believed,  God  quickening  the 
dead,  and  calling  those  things  which  be  not  as  though  they 
were."  In  like  manner,  all  his  children  in  the  faith  believe 
the  Divine  word  for  righteousness,  without  perceiving  any 
shadow  or  symptom  of  it  about  themselves,  without  feeling 
or  being  conscious  of  anything  about  themselves  to  concur 
with  the  Divine  word,  to  make  out,  their  righteousness,  or 
bring  them  nearer  to  it,  or  any  way  make  them  fitter  than 
others  for  justification. 

To  set  aside  the  sovereignty  of  Divine  grace,  and  lead  us 
deceitfully  to  establish  our  own  righteousness,  the  popular 
doctrine  has  in  readiness  two  artifices,  serving  to  confound 
our  notion  of  works,  and  their  connection  with  reward.  By 
the  first  we  are  led  to  do  so  many  things,  which  we  are 
taught  to  consider  as  of  a  dubious  or  middle  nature  betwixt 
works  and  710  tvorks.  By  the  second  we  are  taught  to  think, 
that,  supposing  these  things  to  be  works,  yet  they  are  so 
wrought  as  not  to  be  entitled  to  reward. 

As  to  the  first  of  these,  Aspasio  says  in  Dialogue  10,* 
♦•  Christ  performed  whatever  was  required  by  the  covenant 
of  works,  both  before  it  was  violated  and  after  it  had  been 
transgressed.  But  neither  repentance  nor  faith  were  com- 
prehended in  this  institution."  But  may  not  men  establish 
their  own  righteousness    in    the  way  of  acting   faith  and 


Vol,  2,  p.  59. 


LET.  T.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  303 

repentanco,  as  well  as  any  other  way  ?  And  will  not  that 
law  which  Christ  came  to  fulfil,  the  law  which  requires  love 
to  God  with  all  the  heart,  condemn  all  who,  by  their  unbelief 
make  God  a  liar ;  and  all  who  "  after  their  hardness  and  im-' 
penitent  heart,  treasure  up  unto  themselves  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God  ?■'  Docs  not  the  Spirit  of  God  convince  all  whom  he 
brings  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  of  sin,  because  they 
believe  not  on  Christ  ?  in  fine,  is  there  anything  contrary  to 
the  gospel  of  the  glory  of  the  blessed  God,  not  condemned 
by  the  Divine  law  1  See  Paul's  first  Epistle  to  Timothy, 
first  chapter. 

I  have  no  concern  with  the  distinction  betwixt  the  covenant 
cf  works  and  the  covenant  of  grace,  on  which  our  systems 
are  formed ;  as  it  serves  to  set  aside,  obscure,  and  confound 
the  capital  distinction  set  before  us  in  the  apostolic  writings, 
betwixt  the  old  and  new  covenant,  or  betwixt  the  covenant 
ratified  by  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  and  the  new  covenant 
in  Christ's  blood :  which  is  the  same  with  the  distinction 
betwixt  flesk  and  spirit.  The  Scripture  seems  to  make 
sacrificing,  or  the  shedding  of  blood,  necessary  in  the  cove- 
nants God  makes  with  men.  But  this  is  not  a  place  for 
enlarging  on  this  subject.  It  may  suffice  at  present  to  say, 
that  in  the  New  Testament,  the  obedience  of  Christ,  with  its 
effects  is  contrasted  with  the  sin  of  Adam  and  its  effects,  and 
that  the  new  covenant  is  contrasted  only  with  the  old  one 
made  with  Israel. 

As  a  proof  how  much  the  scriptural  distinctions  are  set 
aside  to  give  place  to  those  framed  by  the  wisdom  of  the  scribe, 
it  may  be  observed,  that  these  covenants,  which,  Paul  expressly 
calls  two,  and  in  many  respects  opposes  to  each  other,  are 
boldly  affirmed  to  be  but  two  dispensations  of  one  and  the  same 
covenant,  by  many  Christian  teachers  who  are  very  fond  of 
the  abovementioned  systematical  distinction.  By  this  means 
they  have  in  a  remarkable  manner  taken  away  the  key  of 
knowledge,  and  misted  many  in  the  understanding  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. "VVhat  strange  use  has  been  made  of  the  systematical 
distinction,  which  has  been  adopted  to  the  setting  aside  and 
confounding  of  the  scriptural  one,  may  be  seen  in  a  book  much 
esteemed  by  many  popular  preachers,  called,  The  Marrow  of 
Modern  Divmity,  which  is  largely  supplied  with  notes  by  a 
well  known  preacher,  who  takes  the  name  of  Philalethes 
Irenmis. 

As  I  have  mentioned  this  book,  I  shall  take  this  occasion 
to  observe,  that  the  doctrine  contained  in  it  was  a  good  many 


304  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

years  ag"o  condemned  by  the  general  assembly  of  the  church 
of  Scotland,  to  the  no.small  satisfaction  of  the  more  open  ene- 
mies of  the  gospel ;  with  whom  I  have  no  intention  of  takinsf 
part  while  I  oppose  the  popular  doctrine,  of  which  this  book 
may  perhaps  be  considered  as  one  of  the  most  refined  systems. 
I  am  sensible,  that  many  despisers  of  the  popular  doctrine  are 
men  whose  religion  consists  chiefly  in  pronouncing  hand- 
somely the  words  virtue  and  benevolence,  candour  and  deco- 
rum, and  in  throwing  out  some  fashionable  reflections  against 
the  narrow  way  of  thinking,  that  is,  the  narrow  ico.y  com- 
mended by  Jesus  of  Nazareth  to  his  disciples.  And  thus,  at 
an  easy  rate,  they  gain  the  reputation  of  men  of  good  sense 
and  t^nlarged  sentiments.  They  are  likewise  friends  to  the 
social  virtues,  I  mean  such  of  them  as  promote  good  fellow- 
ship, and  may  be  subservient  to  their  reputation  and  worldly 
interest.  But  if  we  want  to  see  those  virtues,  whose  exercise 
requires  self-denial,  we  must  look  for  them  among  people  of 
the  narrow  way  of  thinking.  Yea,  if  we  compare  the  friends 
of  the  popular  doctrine  with  their  fashionable  antagonists,  we 
shall  find  the  former  much  more  remarkable  for  the  practice 
of  morality  and  decency  of  character  than  the  latter.  So 
that  the  charge  of  licentiousness,  as  commonly  laid  by  the 
latter  against  the  doctrine  of  the  former,  is  evidently  invidious 
and  unjust. 

I  am  ready  to  agree,  then,  with  the  author  of  a  late  Essay 
on  Jiistijication,  who,  to  show  the  falsehood  of  this  charge, 
appeals  to  the  lives  of  those  commonly  called  the  stricter 
sort,  in  which  class,  I  think,  he  comprehends  all  who  main- 
tain the  necessity  of  imputed  righteousness  to  justification, 
however  much  they  differ  about  faith.  Though  this  author 
has  undertaken  the  defence  of  the  popular  doctrine  in  general, 
and  it  must  be  owned,  reasons  justly  against  his  fashionable 
adversaries;  yet  if  we  observe  his  private  sentiments,  which 
are  sufficiently  hinted,  we  shall  find  him  very  unpopular  in 
his  own  notion  of  faith.  For  he  seems  to  have  the  same  notion 
of  it  with  the  apostles.  If  this  author  shall  proceed  to  study 
the  Scriptures,  and  observe  mankind,  keeping  a  steady  eye 
on  the  first  principle  from  u-hich  he  sets  out,  consequently  less 
apprehensive  of  being  "  ensnared  and  exposed  to  censure," 
he  will  probably  find  more  adversaries  than  he  is  presently 
aware  of 

I  PROCEED  to  consider  the  second  artifice  used  to  confound 
our  notion  of  works,  and  their  connection  with  reward.  The 
popular  doctrine,  in  order  to  avoid  saying,  that  justification  is 


LET.   v.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  305 

procured  by  our  works  or  endeavours,  tells  us,  that  all  the 
qualifications  necesssary  to  the  appropriating  act  of  faith,  arc 
bestowed  on  men,  and  wrought  in  them,  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  so  are  properly  to  be  considered  as  his  works,  and  not 
theirs;  that,  accordingly,  they  in  whom  these  qualifications  are 
wrought,  must  not  be  supposed  to  be  thereby  entitled  to  any 
reward.  But  if  we  look  into  the  Scripture,  must  we  not  say, 
that  all  the  good  works  which  shall  be  recompensed  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just,  are  produced  by  the  influence  of  the 
Divine  Spirit  dwelling  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  believe  ? 
Yet  such  is  the  connection  betwixt  every  good  work  and  its 
reward,  that,  according  to  the  Scripture,  the  justice  of  God, 
not  to  say  his  grace,  is  concerned  to  make  it  good :  Heb.  vi, 
10,  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and  labour 
of  love.  Jesus  did  not  account  the  question  unreasonable, 
when  his  disciples  said.  Matt,  xix,  27,  Behold  ice  have  for- 
saken all  and  followed  thee,  what  shall  we  have  therefore? 
But  he  gave  them  a  very  satisfying  answer.  And,  Mark  ix, 
41,  he  says,  "Whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to 
drink  in  my  name,  because  ye  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  he  shall  not  lose  his  reward."  Justice,  as  well  as 
grace,  will  appear  in  the  last  judgment;  then  due  regard 
will  be  paid  to  every  man's  works.  But  in  the  justification 
of  sinners,  God  has  no  respect  to  any  man  as  better  than 
another.  He  considers  men,  Avhen  he  commends  his  love  to 
them,  as  ungodly  and  without  strength,  that  is,  without  any 
will  to  be  better.  And  all  who  find  m<^rcy,  are  brought  to 
view  themselves  in  the  same  point  of  light,  wherein  God 
beheld  men  when  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  them.  They  do 
not  find  themselves  prepared,  or  made  fitter  than  others  for 
mercy,  by  any  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit  on  their  minds  ;  but 
they  find  their  first  taste  of  comfort  by  hearing  of  him,  who 
through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  hi/nself  without  spot  to  God. 
However  much  the  qualifications  held  necessary  to  intro- 
duce saving  faith,  are  on  some  occasions  denied  to  be  proper 
works,  or  entitled  to  reward,  yet  we  find  the  person,  who  is 
seriously  exercised  in  attaining  them,  often  commended  on 
account  of  them,  and  encouraged  to  draw  no  small  comfort 
from  them.  In  Dialogue  15,*  on  Theron's  expressing  his 
sense  of  guilt,  his  friend  replies,  "  I  am  truly  glad,  that  we 
are  sensible  of  our  demerit.  Here  our  recovery  begins."  I 
knew  a  devout  person,  who,  on  hearing  of  the  death  of  a  per- 


^  Vol,  3,  p.  250. 
26* 


306  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

sonal  enemy,  with  some  emotion,  broke  forth  into  these 
words  :  "  Truly  I  am  sorry  for  it ! — But  how  glad  am  I  that 
I  feel  myself  sorry  ?  By  this  I  know  that  I  have  forgiven  him." 
How  easily  do  people  get  into  a  habit  of  imposing  on  them- 
selves? and  in  nothing  more  readily  than  as  to  their  convic- 
tions. In  the  same  Dialogue,  p.  140,  Theron  is  alarmed 
with  the  account  of  the  man  who  was  found  withouta  wedding- 
garment.  His  friend  replies,  "  The  man  without  a  wedding- 
garment,  denotes  the  specious  superficial  professor,  who  is 
called  by  Christ's  name,  but  has  never  put  on  Christ  Jesus 
by  faith. — Shall  I  tell  more  plainly  whom  this  character 
represents  ?  You  yourself,  ray  dear  Theron,  was  some 
months'  ago  in  the  state  of  this  unhappy  creature,  when  you 
trusted  in  yourself,  and  thought  highly  of  3^our  own,  thought 
meanly  of  your  Saviour's  righteousness. 

"  I  congratulate  my  friend  on  his  happy  deliverance  from 
so  dangerous  a  condition."  In  the  same  dialogue,  p.  253, 
Theron  says,  "  Thus  much  I  may  venture  to  profess  in  my 
own  behalf,  that  I  long  for  this  blessing — I  pray  for  this  bless- 
ing ;  but  I  cannot  see  my  title  to  this  comprehensive  and 
inestimable  blessing  clear."  Aspasio  replies,  "  I  behold  it 
perfectly  clear  and  ascertained  by  your  own  confession,"  &c. 
— Instead  of  quoting  any  more  of  Aspasio's  words  at  present, 
I  shall  produce  a  passage  to  the  same  purpose  from  The 
Marrow  of  Modern  Divinity*  Neo-pJiytus  says,  "  And  truly, 
sir,  you  have  so  declared  and  set  forth  Christ's  disposition 
toward  poor  sinners,  and  so  answered  all  my  doubts  and 
objections,  that  I  am  now  verily  persuaded  that  Christ  is 
loilling  to  entertain  me ;  and  surely  I  am  willing  to  come 
unto  him,  and  receive  him  ;  but,  alas!   I  want  power." 

Evangelista  replies,  "But  tell  me  truly,  are  you  resolved 
to  put  forth  all  your  power  to  believe,  and  so  to  take  Christ? 
"  Neophytus.  Truly,  sir,  methinks  my  resolution  is  much  like 
the  resolution  of  the  four  lepers  which  sat  at  the  gate  of 
Samaria  ;  for  as  they  said — 2  Kings  vii,  4,  even  so  say  I  in 
mine  heart,  If  1  go  back  to  the  covenant  of  works  to  seek  jus- 
tification thereby,  I  shall  die  there  ;  and  if  I  sit  still  and  seek 
it  no  way,  I  shall  die  also.  Now,  therefore,  though  I  bo 
somewhat  fearful,  yet  am  I  resolved  to  go  unto  Christ :  and 
if  I  perish,  I  perish. 

"  Evangelista.  Why,  now  I  tell  you,  the  match  is  made  ; 
Christ  is  yours,  and  you  are  his ;  this  day  is  salvation  come 


*  Twelfth  edition,  p,  203.  et.  scq.  cliap.  2,  ^  3, 5. 


LET.  v.]  THrnON  AND  ASPASIO.  307 

to  your  house,  (ycur  soul  I  moan:)  for  what,  though  you 
have  not  that  power  to  come  so  fast  to  Christ,  and  to  lay  suck 
firm  hold  on  him  as  you  desire  ?  yet  coming  with  such  a  re- 
solution to  take  Christ  as  you  do,  you  need  not  care  for  power 
to  do  it,  inasmuch  as  Christ  will  tnable  you  to  do  it.  Yet, 
let  me  tell  you  to  your  comfort,  that  such  a  resolution  shall 
never  go  to  hell :  nay,  I  will  say  more,  if  any  soul  have 
room  in  heaven,  such  a  soul  shall ;  for  God  cannot  find  in 
his  heart  to  damn  such  a  one.  I  might,  then,  with  as  much 
true  confidence  say  unto  you,  as  faithful  John  Careless  said 
to  godly  John  Bradibrd,  hearken,  O  heavens,  and  thou,  O 
earth  give  ear,  and  bear  me  witness  at  the  great  day,  that  I 
do  here  faithfully  and  truly  declare  the  Lord's  message  unto 
his  dear  servant,  and  singulaily  beloved  John  Bradford,  say- 
ing, John  Bradford,  thou  man  so  specially  beloved  of  God,  I 
do  pronounce  and  testify  unto  thee,  in  the  word  and  name  of 
the  Lord  Jehovah,  tliat  all  thy  sins,  whatsoever  they  be, 
though  never  so  many,  grievous,  or  great,  be  fully  and  freely 
pardoned,  released,  and  forgiven  thee,  by  the  mercy  of  God 
in  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  Lord  and  sweet  Saviour,  in  whom 
thou  dost  undoubtedly  believe.  As  truly  as  the  Lord  liveth, 
he  will  not  have  thee  die  the  death;  but,  hath  verily  pur- 
posed, determined,  and  decreed,  that  thou  shalt  live  Avith  him 
forever. 

"  Ncojphytus.  O  sir,  if  I  have  as  good  warrant  to  apply 
this  saying  to  myself,  as  sweet  Mr.  Bradford  had  to  himself, 
then  I  am  a  happy  man. 

"  Evangellsla.  I  tell  you  from  Christ,  and  under  the  hand 
of  the  Spirit,  that  your  person  is  accepted,  your  sins  are  done 
avv'ay,  and  you  shall  be  saved ;  and,  ii  an  angel  from  heaven 
should  tell  you  otherwise,  let  him  be  accursed.  Therefore, 
you  may  (without  doubt)  conclude,  that  you  are  a  happy 
man,''  &c.* 

Here  we  have  represented  to  us,  in  a  lively  manner,  to 
what   extravagant   heights   spiritual   pride   will    sometimes 


'^  Perhaps,  Iiy  .•^ome  such  ex  ini|>Ie  Jis  this,  Asp.isio  has  l)een  embold- 
ened to  addres.s  the  yet  dilhdeiit  Thevoii  in  the  followin*^  manner: 
•'  This  you  do,  Tlieron  :  [^7//  '<*  Chriat;']  I  know  you  do.  Therefore,  as 
surely  as  God  is  true,  as  certainly  as  (.j'od  exists,  they  \thc  blcssimrs']  are 
all  your  own.  1  would  humbly,  yet  boldly,  aji|)ly  to  my  friend  what 
t!ie  jEtreat  .Jehovah  speaks  by  the  prophet :  Js  J  lire,  saitli  the  Lord,  thou 
shalt  siirchj  rluthr  thrr  irith  than  all,  as  uith  an  ornament,  and  hind  them 
on  thee  as  a  bride  dnth.  I  appeal  to  all  perfections,  for  the  truth  of  this 
sacred  engagement;  and  let  every  one  of  my  attributes  witness  against 
me,  if  I  am  worse  than  my  word."     Vol.  3,  p.  305. 


308  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

elevate  the  popular  preachers.  And  here,  likewise,  we 
plainly  see,  that  their  ground  of  acceptance  with  God,  or  first 
spring  of  good  hope,  is  the  very  same  with  that  of  their  anta- 
gonists, the  fashionable  preachers,  to  wit,  the  pious  resolve 
we  took  notice  of  before.  This  is  the  key  held  forth  on  all 
hands,  as  powerful  to  open  for  men  the  gates  of  heaven,  and 
shut  those  of  hell.  However,  a  devout  wish  is  often  allowed 
to  serve  in  its  stead. 

Moreover,  the  popular  doctrine  supposes,  that  unbelievers 
may  be  seriously  engaged  in  praying  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  to 
help  them  to  faith,  and  exhorts  them  accordingly  ;  which  is 
as  absurd  as  to  suppose  that  a  man  may  be  desirous  of  being 
influenced  by  the  spirit  of  a  truth,  which,  at  present,  he 
neither  believes  nor  loves.  For  I  reckon  it  must  be  granted, 
that  no  man  loves  the  gospel  before  he  believes  it;  and, 
likewise,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  acts  as  the  soul,  sense,  or 
meaning  of  the  words,  wherein  the  gospel  is  delivered. 

Much  has  been  said  and  WTitten  in  defence  of  supernatural 
grace,  or  the  agency  of  the  Divine  Spirit  influencing  the 
hearts  of  men,  in  opposition  to  those  reasoners  who  doubt  of 
or  deny  any  such  influence :  and  many  things  have  been  said 
on  this  head,  serving  to  give  us  false  notions  of  the  Divine 
grace  and  spirit. — This  much  the  Scripture  will  support 
us  in  saying,  that  when  any  man  is  influenced  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  some  point  of  knowledge  is  conveyed  to  his  mind  ;  he 
learns  something  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  which  he  knew 
not  before :  or  what  he  knew  before,  is  seasonably  brought 
to  his  remembrance ;  or  his  mind  is  kept  steady  in  the  per- 
suasion of  the  known  truth,  his  love  to  it  cherished,  and  his 
hope  enlivened.  The  apostles  said,  God  hath  given  to  us 
the  spirit  of  power  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  [or  sober] 
mind.  So  that,  whatever  they  affirmed,  whatever  they  prac- 
tised under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  could  give 
a  sober  and  solid  reason  for  it.  If  they  confidently  declared 
their  faith,  they  had  the  clearest  evidence  to  produce  ;  if  they 
fervently  expressed  their  love,  they  had  the  most  amiable 
objects  to  describe :  if  they  joyfully  made  mention  of  their 
hope,  they  had  the  grandest  enjoyments  in  prospect. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  called  the 'Spirit  of  truth,  as  also  the 
Spirit  of  grace.  He  speaks  and  breathes  only  the  grace  and 
truth  that  came  by  Jesus  Christ.  When  a  man,  then,  comes 
to  know  the  gospel,  or  to  receive  this  Spirit,  he  thinks  of  no 
other  grace  but  what  appeared  in  Christ's  tasting  death  for 
men  ;  no  other  truth,  but  what  was  manifest  in  Christ,  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness.       This  differs  not  a  little 


LKT.    V.J  THEKON   AND   ASPASIO.  300 

from  what  the  popular  doctrine  leads  us  to  think  of;  namely, 
the  truth  of  grace  in  the  heart.  When  our  systems  describe 
faith  to  us,  as  a  saving  grace  bestowed  on  us,  by  which  we 
make  use  of  Christ  for  salvation,  are  we  not  led  to  think  of 
some  grace  necessary  to  our  salvation,  beside  what  appeared 
when  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  God,  tasted  death  for  the  sins  of 
men  ? 

If  we  consider  faith  as  appearing  in  the  possession  of  it, 
we  find  the  apostles  accounting  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  necessary  to  enable  a  man  to  make  such  a  profession 
of  the  faith,  as  was  to  be  admitted  by  Christians:  No  man 
call  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  As 
soon,  then,  as  it  appeared  by  any  man's  profession,  that  he 
had  heard  and  believed  what  the  apostles  preached,  it  appeared 
at  the  same  time  that  he  was  influenced  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

There  is  no  separating  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  from 
the  knovvledge  of  the  truth.  To  know  the  truth  is  life  eternal ; 
and  this  life  is  begun  and  supported  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
On  the  other  hand,  all  w4io  resist  the  truth,  and  do  not  admit 
its  evidence,  are  expressly  said  to  resist  the  Holy  Ghost, 
We  ought  not,  then,  to  imagine,  with  the  popular  preachers, 
that  the  gospel  can  in  any  respect  be  considered  as  a  dead 
letter,  or  destitute  of  Divine  power.  For  being  the  voice  of 
God,  it  is  unchangeably  powerful  to  save  all  who  believe  it, 
and  to  destroy  all  who  oppose  it.  Believers  are  said  to  grieve 
the  Holy  Spirit,  when  they  neglect  to  hearken  to  the  words 
of  the  gospel,  and  their  consciences  are  answerably  grieved, 
when  they  are  brought  to  repentance. 

Jesus  Christ,  speakmg  of  the  Spirit,  says.  When  he,  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  heunll  guide  you  into  all  truth;  for 
he  shall  not  sjjcak  of  himself  lie  shall  glorify  me.  And  in 
another  place,  He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all 
things  to  your  reinembrance,  whaisoecer  I  have  said  unto 
you.  When  we  hear  one  describing  to  us  how  he  first  ob- 
tained peace  with  God,  if  we  find  him  taking  pains  to  inform 
us  of  the  influences  of  grace  he  felt  in  his  heart,  and  the 
operations  of  the  Spirit  leading  him  on  to  conversion.  We 
may  safely  say,  This  is  a  spirit  that  speaks  of  himself;  this 
is  not  the  true  grace  of  God.  So  we  can  be  at  no  loss  to  see 
what  sort  of  conversion  he  has  undergone.  If  we  hear  an- 
other telling  us,  that,  after  manifold  pious  labours,  as  he 
thought,  he  found  that  in  them  all  he  was  only  doing  the 
abominable  thing  that  God  hates ;  rhat  he  could  never  find 
true  rest,  till  he  heard  that  Christ,  through  the  eternal  Spirit, 
ofl^ered  himself  without  spot  to  God ;  wu  may  safely  say, 


310  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

This  man  speaks  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
though  we  cannot  speak  to  him  in  the  style  wherein  Evan- 
gelista  addresses  Neophytus  ;  yet  we  may  warrantably  com- 
mend him  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace  which  he  has 
professed  ;  assuring  him,  that  that  word  is  able  to  save  him, 
if  it  abide  in  him,  if  he  continue  to  love  and  obey  it  from  the 
heart ;  otherwise,  he  shall  have  his  part  with  hypocrites  and 
unbelievers:  even  as  Jesus  said  to  those  Jews  which  believed 
on  him.  If  ye  continue  in  my  icord,  then  are  ye  i?iy  disciples 
indeed ;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall 
make  yon  free.  But  I  must  reserve  what  I  have  to  say  of 
the  influence  of  the  gospel  on  them  that  believe  it  to  another 
letter. 

I  MIGHT  now  consider  Aspasio's  use  of  similitudes  in 
describing  his  faith  ;  and  the  rather,  because  people's  minds 
are  often  more  readily  swayed  by  these,  than  by  any  other 
kind  of  reasoning.  Not  to  be  tedious,  I  shall  only  take  some 
general  notice  of  the  shipwrecked  mariner,,  labouring  hard 
to  gain  the  wished  for  rock  ;*  and  of  the  smnmer-house,  to 
which  the  two  friends  found  it  necessary  to  betake  themselves 
for  shelter  from  the  storm,  as  being  sensible,  that,  otherwise, 
their  knowing  where  it  was  could  be  of  no  service  to  them.f 
The  popular  preachers  use  many  similitudes  to  the  same 
purpose.  They  seem  to  forget  that  Christ  is  in  heaven,  and 
we  on  the  earth,  by  their  manner  of  urging  us  to  take  hold 
of,  betake  ourselves  to  him,  and  close  with  him.  They 
represent  Christ,  indeed,  as  condescending  greatly,  and  stoop- 
ing very  far  down;  but  still  they  leave  distance  enough  to 
employ  the  utmost  activity  of  the  hearer.  They  seem  to 
forget,  that  the  only  way  wherein  we  can  receive  benefit 
from  Christ,  is  by  the  report  concerning  him  conveyed  to 
our  ears.  And  how  shall  we  lay  hold  on  a  report  but  by 
holding  it  true?  If  we  believe  it  not,  we  let  it  go  for  a 
falsehood.  Besides,  how  can  we  lay  hold  on  any  truth  till 
its  evidence  take  hold  on  us  ? 

I'hcir  way  of  speaking  does  indeed  proceed  from  a  very 
natural  principle  in  man's  heart.  They  cannot  understand 
how  a  guilty  person  can  be  justified  without  contributing 
something  thereto.  Paul  supposes,  that  men  professing  Chris- 
tianity with  their  mouths,  would  be  apt  to  say  in  their  hearts, 
"  Who  shall  ascend  into  Heaven  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ 
down  from  above ;)  or,  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep? 

*  Vol.  1,  p.  207.  t  Vol.  3,  p.  301. 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  311 

(that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead;")  that  they 
would  be  apt  to  say  in  their  hearts  something  importing,  that 
Christ  had  not  already  come  down  from  Heaven  to  fulfil  all 
righteousness,  or  that  he  has  not  already  ascended,  in  testi- 
mony of  his  having  finished  his  work ;  and  so  be  ready  still 
to  cry  for  powers  from  above  to  help  them  to  do  something 
in  this  matter,  be  it  called  closing  Avith  Christ,  or  by  any 
other  name.  In  opposition  to  all  this,  the  Apostle  in  the 
same  place  declares,  that  the  word  by  which  men  are  saved, 
is  very  nigh  to  every  one  who  holds  it  true;  yea,  so  nigh, 
that  it  is  in  the  heart  of  him  who  believes  it,  and  in  the 
mouth  of  him  who  confesses  it.  He  also  tells  us  what  that 
word  is:  "  If  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Whenever  our  preachers 
find  i he  heart  made  mention  of  in  any  text,  they  immediately 
dream  of  heart-work.  So  in  this  text,  they  oppose  the  belief 
of  the  heart  to  some  speculative  faith,  which  they  lodge  in  the 
head,  or  to  the  assent  of  the  understanding:  whereas,  the 
Apostle  states  no  such  opposition,  but  only  distinguishes  be- 
twixt the  confession  of  the  mouth  and  the  belief  of  the  heart ; 
and  supposes,  w^hat  very  ordinarily  happens,  that  what  a  mari 
confesses  with  his  mouth,  may  differ  from  what  he  secretly 
says  in  his  heart. 

Moreover,  our  preachers,  in  their  use  of  similitudes,  seem 
to  forget  that  man  is  happy  or  miserable  according  to  his 
knowledge,  or  what  he  is  conscious  of  He  is  miserable, 
and  filled  with  great  perplexity,  when  he  knows  that  he  has 
sinned,  and  is  persuaded  that  there  is  no  losing  of  the  connec- 
tion betwixt  sin  and  its  wages.  He  must,  then,  be  crreatty 
relieved  from  his  perplexity,  Avhen  he  comes  to  know  'that 
he  may  be  justified,  and  yet  that  connection  remain  in  its 
full  force.  He,  then,  to  whom  this  knowledge  is  conveyed, 
finds  immediately  a  covert  from  the  storm,  and  his  feet  set  on 
a  rock.     His  relief  prevents  all  his  endeavours. 

But  if  we  should  take  these  similitudes  to  refer  to  the 
Christian  race,  wherein  all  that  believe  are  called  to  run  ; 
then  I  own  there  is  some  propriety  in  them.  He  that  believes, 
on  hearing  the  voice  of  Christ  saying,  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid," 
will  be  ready  to  reply,  "  Lord  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  1 
Bid  me  come  unto  thee  upon  the  water  ;"  I  am  bound  to  give 
obedience  at  all  hazards.  If  now  we  understand  by  the 
siorin  the  wrath  that  is  to  come,  the  believer,  knowing  that 
Christ  hath  done  enough  to  deliver  him  from  it,  lovf  3  him, 
takes  hold  of  him,  or  flies  to  him,  in  obeying  his  commands, 


312  LETTERS    ON  [LET.   V- 

and  frequenting  every  mean  of  correspondence  with  him, 
according  to  tlie  word  that  Jesus  left  with  his  disciples,  while 
he  should  be  absent  from  them :  "  If  a  man  love  me  he  will 
keep  my  words;  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  Avill 
come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him.  Accordingly, 
we  find  Barnabas  exhorted  those  at  Antioch,  in  whom  he  saw 
the  grace  of  God,  that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would 
cleave  unto  the  Lord.  The  consequence  of  which  was,  they 
assembled  together  in  the  appointed  church  order,  and  denied 
themselves  in  sending  relief  to  their  brethren  in  Judea.  Such 
were  the  acts  of  faith  among  those  who  were  first  called 
Christians.  Here  is  room  for  every  pious  wish,  purpose,  and 
resolve,  for  the  w^hole  exercise  of  godliness  both  in  mind  and 
body.  See  what  efiect  the  knowledge  of  Christ  had  on  Paul, 
and  what  was  his  steady  purpose:  "Yea,  doubtless,  and  I 
count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss 
of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win 
Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law%  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith 
of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith  :  that  I 
may  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and  the 
fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  comformable  unto 
his  death;  if  by  any  means  I  may  attain  unto  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead :  not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either 
were  already  perfect;  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  appre- 
hend that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended;  but  this 
one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press 
forward  to  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus." 

Let  us  next  observe  what  use  the  preachers  make  of  the 
Scriptures  in  support  of  their  acts  of  faith. — As  Paul  had 
reason  to  complain  of  many  in  his  time  who  corrupted  the 
word  of  God,  so  may  we  find  many  now  who  tarnish  almost 
every  text  they  breathe  upon.  And  I  am  sorry  to  find  Aspasio 
unwarily  adopting  their  glosses  in  too  many  instances.  In 
Dialogue  IG,  vol.  3,  p.  277,  he  addresses  his  friend  thus, 
"  Since  you  are  sensible  of  your  impotence,  beware  of  the  con- 
trary extreme.  Because  you  cannot  by  your  own  strength 
exercise  faith,  let  not  this  occasion  a  tame  resignation  of  your- 
self to  infidelity.  You  must  endeavour,  diligently  endeavour, 
to  believe;  and  wait  and  pray  for  the  Divine  Spirit.    Though 


LET.   v.]  THERON    AND  ASPASIO.  313 

it  is  his  office  to  testify  of  Christ,  and  bring  near  the 
Redeemer's  righteousness;  yet  his  influences  are  not  to 
supersede,  but  to  encourage  our  own  efforts.  "  Work  out 
your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ;"  here  is  our 
duty  :  "  for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to 
do  ;''  here  is  our  encouragement.  And  O !  what  a  glorious 
encouragement,  to  have  the  arms  of  omnipotence  stretched 
out  for  our  support  and  succour  ! 

You  was  once,  Theron,  a  zealous  advocate  for  good  works. 
Now  you  seem  to  have  abandoned  your  clients.  Remember, 
my  dear  friend,  what  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  says,  "  This  is 
the  work  of  God,"  of  all  works  most  acceptable  and  most 
honourable  to  the  Divine  Majesty,  "that  you  believe  on  him 
whom  he  hath  sent." 

"  Titer.  The  true  belief  according  to  your  notion,  Aspasio, 
is  so  refined  and  exalted  a  virtue,  that  I  very  much  question 
whether  I  shall  ever  be  able  to  attain  it. 

"  Asp.  If  you  are  unable  to  attain  it,  is  the  Lord  unable  to 
give  it  1  Our  sufficiency  for  this,  and  every  good  work,  is  not 
in  ourselves,  but  in  God.  And  to  him  difficulties  are  easy. 
Before  him  mountains  are  a  plain. — You  will  please  to 
remember,  that  sinners  are  said  to  believe,  not  through  their 
own  ability,  but  throught  he  aids  of  graced  Is  it  not  sur- 
prising, to  see  men  daily  finding  fault  with  the  Jewish  teachers 
for  interpreting  the  Old  Testament  in  favour  of  justification 
by  works,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  gravely  employed  them- 
selves in  thus  commenting  on  the  New?  As  there  are  two 
texts  made  mention  of  here,  which  are  constantly  used  in  ser- 
mons to  the  same  purpose,  we  may  take  some  particular  notice 
of  them. — Paul  reminding  the  Philippians  of  the  character 
of  Jesus  Christ,  exhorts  them  thus,  chap,  ii,  12,  "  Wherefore, 
my  beloved,  as  ye  have  always  obeyed,  not  as  in  my  presence 
only,  but  now  much  more  in  my  absence ;  work  out  your  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure. 
Do  all  things  without  murmurings  and  disputings,  that  ye 
may  be  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without 
rebuke,"  &c. 

The  application  of  any  words  in  this  passage,  to  acts  of 
faith  in  order  to  justification,  is  so  foreign  to  the  whole  con- 
text, yea,  to  the  whole  epistle,  that  I  am  half  ashamed  to  offer 
any  confutation  to  it.  Does  not  Paul  consider  them  as  having 
already  experienced  consolation  in  Christ,  the  comfort  of 
love,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Spirit  ?  Is  he  not  commending 
their  obedience  to  the  gospel,  and  encouraging  them  to  go 
27 


314  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V, 

forward  as  they  had  begun  ?  Was  not  that  salvation  whi  ch 
comes  by  faith  promoted  in  them,  while  their  faith  wrought 
by  love  ?  While  they  grew  in  love,  did  they  not  enjoy  more 
of  the  comfort  thereof?  While  they  grew  in  likeness  of 
temper  to  Christ,  did  not  their  consolation  by  him  abound  ? 
Paul  tells  them  that  their  patient  obedience  was  to  them  an 
evident  token  of  salvation,  and  that  of  God,  as  well  as  of  per- 
dition to  their  adversaries.  And  he  animates  them  to  stead- 
fastness, by  the  same  argument  that  gave  birth  to  their  obedi- 
ence ;  "  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and 
to  do,"  (uT£p  TTjf  evioKiai)  because  of  the  good  pleasure  ;  because 
he  is  well  pleased  in  his  beloved  Son.  This  is  the  grand 
persuasive  to  obedience  so  often  urged  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, now  in  more  copious,  than  in  more  concise  terms. — 
Thus,  the  same  Apostle  prays  for  the  Thessalonians, 
whose  faith  already  grew  exceedingly,  and  whose  charity 
abounded,  that  God  ivould  fulfil  among  them  "all  the  good 
pleasure  of  goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with  power." — 
The  work  or  effect  of  faith  resembles  the  good  pleasure  of 
Divine  goodness  which  is  revealed  and  believed.  So  the 
Apostle  prays,  that  the  grand  argument  might  ever  be  present 
with  them  and  have  its  full  effect  among  them  ;  that,  like 
what  they  believed,  they  might  be  full  of  all  goodness, 
abounding  in  the  fruits  of  righteousness.  By  this  argument 
God  worketh  in  them  that  believe,  both  to  will  and  to  do, 
not  anything  in  order  to  justification,  but  all  those  things 
wherein  their  salvation  consists,  and  is  evidenced. 

The  Apostle,  taking  notice  of  the  worksof  love  among  the 
Hebrews,  says,  "But  beloved,  we  are  persuaded  better  things 
of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation."  Better  than 
what  ?  even  better  than  the  highest  things  that  could  be  talked 
of  in  the  way  of  illumination,  which  might  take  place,  and 
yet  not  accompany  salvation  ;  yea,  which  might  be  experi- 
enced by  those  who  might,  notwithstanding,  fall  away  irre- 
coverably. 

Moreover,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians, 
Paul  declares  himself  confident,  that  he  who  had  already  begun 
a  good  work  in  them,  would  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus 
Christ.  As  these  words  are  constantly  used  in  sermons  to 
the  same  purpose  as  those  in  chap,  ii,  it  may  be  proper  to 
quote  the  passage;  chap,  i,  3',  to 9,  "  1  thank  my  God  upon  every 
remembrance  of  you,  (always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for 
you  all,  making  request  with  joy,)  for  your  fellowship  in  the 
gospel  from  the  first  day  until  now;  being  confident  of  this 
very  thing,  that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you, 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  315 

will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ;  even  as  it  is 
meet  for  me  to  think  this  of  you  all,  because  I  have  you  in 
my  heart,  inasmuch,  as  both  in  my  bonds  and  in  the  defence 
and  confirmation  of  the  gospel,  ye  are  all  partakers  of  my 
grace.  For  God  is  my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you 
all,  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  I  pray,  that 
your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more,"  &c.  Hence  it  is 
evident,  that  the  good  work  begun  in  them  was  the  work  of 
that  charity,  which  never  faileth,  appearing  among  them,  not 
m  word  and  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth,  in  their  libe- 
ral and  constant  ^^Koivcovia)  fellowship  or  contribution  for  the 
gospel;  and  more  especially  in  their  care  of  the  Apostle 
himself,  who  was  then  a  prisoner  for  its  sake,  and  at  a  great 
distance  from  them.  So  he  prays  that  their  love  might  still 
abound. 

Where  this  work  or  effect  of  faith,  this  ministering  love 
appears,  there,  we  may  say,  the  grace  of  God  is  bestowed  on 
men  ;  "  We  do  you  to  wit  of  the  grace  of  God  bestowed  on 
the  churches  of  Macedonia,  how  that,"  &c.  Where  this 
saving  grace  appears,  there  we  may  say  the  grace  of  God 
is  known  in  truth ;  even  the  grace  that  appeared  in  Christ's 
death.  Did  we  attend  more  to  the  Scriptures,  we  should 
give  less  heed  to  what  we  hear  in  sermons  about  saving 
grace. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  other  text  mentioned  by  Aspasio, 
John  vi,  28 — 30.  The  Jews  inquired,  "  What  shall  we  do, 
that  we  may  work  the  works  of  God?''  Jesus  answered,  and 
said  unto  them,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on 
him  whom  he  hath  sent."  The  Jews  were  plainly  inquiring 
how  they  might  be  qualified  to  do  the  works  God,  require  in 
his  law,  in  order  to  justification.  The  answer  of  Jesus  plainly 
imports,  that  they  would  become  possessed  of  the  whole  work 
God  required,  in  knowing  that  God  sent  him  to  work  it, 
without  their  working  less  or  more.  For  if  we  could  sepa- 
rate from  believing,  the  idea  of  some  confused  laborious  exer- 
cise, which  has  been  aflixed  to  it,  the  answer  of  Jesus  would 
readily  sound  thus  to  us:  This  is  the  work  of  God,  to  know 
that  he  hath  sent  me  to  work  it.*     His  answer  was,  at  least, 


*  If  common  prejudices  have  hindered  some  from  attending  to  the 
natural  and  easy  sense  here  given  of  Christ's  memorable  answer  to  the 
Jews,  about  the  ground  of  acce^jtance  with  God,  it  might  at  least  be 
expected,  that  a  tender  regard  to  the  Scriptures  should  have  led  them  to 
consider  it  as  a  difficult  text,  which  they  did  not  well  understand  ;  rather 
than  to  give  it  a  meaning  quite  opposite  to  the  whole  tenor  of  his  dis- 
course ou  that  occaijiou,  yea,  of  all  his  other  discourses ;  and  also  tlxe 


316  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

better  understood  by  the  Jews  than  it  is  commonly  amoni^ 
us.  They  had  no  notion  of  any  ditficuhy  in  believing^  what 
they  understood ;  but  they  did  not  understand  who  Jesus  was, 
nor  what  he  was  working.  So  their  reply  to  Jesus  is  thus  set 
before  us,  in  v.  30,  "  They  said,  therefore,  unto  him,  What 
sign  showest  thou  then,  that  we  may  see  and  believe  thee  ? 
what  dost  thou  work  ?"  Accordingly,  the  whole  reasoning 
at  large  turns  on,  who  he  was,  and  what  he  was  to  work. — 
The  case  was,  our  jargon  about  acts  of  faith  was  not  then 
invented.  And  it  would  still  appear  as  ridiculous  as  ever 
on  any  subject  but  religion.  If  a  friend  of  mine  should  see 
me  cheerful,  on  hearing  something  new,  and  I  should  tell 
him  I  was  comforted  by  an  act  of  faith,  would  he  not  say  I 
trifled  with  him,  and  readily  ask  what  good  news  I  had 
heard,  that  he  might  partake  in  my  satisfaction  ? 

Faith,  with  its  effects,  is  in  Scripture  often  signified  by  one 
expression,  and  accordingly  connected  with  salvation ;  as 
when  it  is  said  *'  Whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved."  Now,  though  we  cannot  say  that  a 
believer  is  saved  on  account  of  his  prayers,  yet  we  may 
safely  say,  that  he  is  saved  on  account  of  what  he  believes, 
and  by  which  he  is  encouraged  to  pray.  It  is  easy  to  see 
love  and  hope  expressed  in  all  the  prayers  of  faith  recorded 
in  the  Scripture;  yet  it  would  be  absurd  to  infer  from  thence, 
that  prayer,  love,  and  hope,  or  any  other  effect  of  that  know- 
ledge which  is  faith,  are  requisites  in  order  to  justification ; 
for  if  we  agree  w^ith  the  apostles,  Ave  must  still  maintain,  that 
justification  comes  by  faith  and  not  by  works,  not  by  any 
thing  we  do  in  obedience  to  any  law  whatsoever. 

The  observation  just  now  m.ade,  contains  the  substance  of 
what  I  have  to  say  against  the  use  the  popular  doctrine 
makes  of  the  Scripture,  in  describing  faith.  The  Scripture 
uses  several  expressions  equivalent  to  believing,  and  several 
others  which  include  and  presuppose  faith,  and  so  describe 
it  with  its  effects.  It  is  not  my  business  to  distinguish  these 
expressions  in  the  many  passages  where  they  occur  ;  but  this 
much  may  be  said  in  the  general,  that  if  by  any  of  them  more 


writings  of  his  apostles,  who  certainly  understood  his  doctrine  better 
than  any  modern  commentator.  Does  not  Paul  say,  To  him  that  w&rkcth 
not,  but  bclievetk  on  him  that  just  ifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness  ?  Yea,  does  he  not  constantly  oppose  faith  to  works,  to  all 
works  whatsoever,  in  this  matter?  Is  it  then  a  tair  way  of  reconciling  the 
Scriptures  to  talk  to  us  of  some  ambiguous  work,  exerted  by  the  human 
mind,  in  the  matter  of  justification?  Let  us  either  have  works  properly 
so  called,  or  no  works  at  all. 


LET.   v.]  TIIIRON  AND  ASPASIO.  317 

be  understood  than  the  simple  knowledge  or  persuasion  of 
the  truth,  then  something  more  than  faith  is  understood,  some- 
thing more  than  is  necessary  to  justification. 

The  Scripture  points  forth  the  common  misery  of  men  by 
various  images,  as  of  thirst,  hunger,  nakedness,  &c.  It 
describes  them  as  labouring,  heavy  laden,  blind,  weak,  &c. 
Many  preachers  are  fond  to  extract,  out  of  one  or  other 
of  these  expressions,  some  distinguishing  qualification,  to 
which  they  may  apply  the  promises  ;  especially,  if  they  can 
find  any  of  these  expressions  likewise  used  in  Scripture,  to 
point  forth  the  fervency  of  love,  wherewith  the  promise  of  bless- 
edness is  indeed  connected.  For  instance,  the  common  un- 
happiness  of  men  occasioned  by  sin,  is  set  forth  under  the 
notion  o(  thirst.  All  men  are  labouring  to  find  something  to 
quench  this,  some  one  way,  some  another.  If  the  popular 
preachers  find  men  disposed  to  quench  it,  in  following  their 
directions,  they  freely  apply  the  promises  to  them,  and  pro- 
nounce them  blessed.  And  they  suppose  they  are  encour- 
aged so  to  do,  because  Jesus  says,  "  Blessed  are  they  which  do 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness."  Whereas,  those 
spoken  of  by  Jesus,  are  plainly  classed  with  the  meek,  the 
merciful,  the  pure  in  heart,  and  sufferers  for  his  sake,  whose 
reward  in  Heaven  is  great.  The  thirst,  then,  which  Jesus 
here  speaks  of,  is  no  other  than  the  noble  purpose  expressed 
by  Paul,  which  was  formerly  cited  from  Philippians,  chap, 
iii.  We  cannot,  then,  imitate  our  preachers  here,  without 
manifestly  punning  on  the  Scripture. 

The  popular  doctrine  takes  the  promises  made  to  those 
who  believe  and  obey  the  gospel,  and  applies  them  to  such 
as  are  carefully  acquiring  the  requisites  to  faith  ;  such  as, 
Rev.  iii,  20,  "  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock ;  if  any 
man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me.  Now,  Jesus, 
the  great  shepherd,  distinguishes  his  sheep  from  others,  by 
their  hearing  his  voice  and  following  him.  And  (Luke  xii, 
33 — 37,)  calling  his  disciples  to  lay  up  their  treasure  in 
heaven,  by  giving  to  the  poor,  he  adds,  "let  your  loins  be 
girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning ;  and  ye  yourselves 
like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  Lord,  when  he  will  return 
from  the  wedding,  that  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh,  they 
may  open  unto  him  immediately.  Blessed  are  those  servants 
whom  the  Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  watching.  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  himself,  and  make  them 
sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them."  In- 
stead of  all  this,  the  preachers  incline  to  talk  to  us  about 
27* 


318  LETTERS  ON*  [LET.  V. 

some  "opening  of  the  door  of  the  heart,"  which  neither  they 
nor  their  hearers  well  understand,  and  which  neither  benefits 
the  opener  nor  any  body  else. 

If  the  Scripture  point  forth  the  freedom  of  Divine  grace, 
to  the  setting  aside  of  all  human  distinctions,  in  such  lan- 
guage as  this,  If  any  man  will  come  after  me  ; — If  any  man 
will  be  my  disciple ; — Let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come; — 
And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come ;  and  whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely  ;  our  preachers  immedi- 
ately put  an  emphasis  of  their  own,  a  very  impertinent  one 
too,  on  the  expression  will,*  and,  accordingly,  go  about  to 
limit  the  Divine  grace  to  the  better  disposed  part  of  mankind. 
But  it  would  be  endless  to  trace  them  in  all  their  glosses  on 
the  sacred  Scripture.  In  a  word,  when  they  read  the  various 
effects  of  faith  recorded  in  Scripture,  they  persuade  their 
hearers  to  labour  to  attain  some  shadow  of  these  in  their 
hearts,  and  then  to  work  out  faith  as  a  prop  to  them  all. — 
They  lead  men  to  begin  their  fabric  at  the  top,  and  proceed 
building  downward  to  the  foundation.  And,  indeed,  the  more 
seriously  we  consider  the  popular  doctrine,  we  shall  find  the 
more  reason  to  conclude  it  to  be  a  castle  in  the  air. 

Yet,  reflecting  how  readily  their  glosses  are  adopted  in 
the  Dialogues,  I  am  content  to  consider  a  few  more  of  them. 
If  the  Scripture  describe  believers  as  pilgrims  and  strangers 
on  the  earth,  as  running  the  Christian  race,  denying  them- 
selves for  the  sake  of  the  heavenly  inheritance,  and,  accord- 
ingly, flying  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before 
them ;  our  preachers,  ever  mindful  of  their  acts  of  faith,  are 
ready  to  exhort  us  to  put  forth  the  acts  of  flying  to  Christ,  and 
laying  hold  on  him,  in  order  to  our  justification.  If  Barnabas 
exhorts  those  in  whom  he  saw  the  grace  of  God,  with  pur- 
pose of  heart  to  cleave  unto  the  Lord,  after  the  example  of  the 
believers  who  were  said  to  be  added  to  the  Lord,  when  they 

^  The  deceit  and  falsehood  of  all  such  gIosf=e.s  on  the  Scripture  will 
readily  appear  to  ns,  if  we  can  only  attend  to  the  meaning  of  one  plain 
passage,  wherein  Jesus  addresses  the  woman  of  Samaria  thus  :  If  thou 
knewest  tlic  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee.  Give  mc  to  drink ; 
thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  him,  and  lie  xcoidd  have  given  thee  living  water. 
The  knowledge  here  spoken  of  is  saving  faith.  And  this  knowledge, 
which  was  never  yet  acquired  hy  human  endeavours,  never  yet  sought, 
or  in  the  remotest  manner  wished  for  by  any  unbeliever,  is  the  only 
spring  of  all  willing,  wishing,  desiring,  asking",  of  eveiy  motion  of  the 
heart  that  is  agreeable  to  God,  and  attended  with  a  sense  of  his  favour. 
This  knowledge  influencing  the  inind.  is,  in  Scripture,  called  tl:e  vcw 
heart,  the  right  spirit,  new  viun,  tic. 


i 


LET.  v.]  TIIERON  AND   ASPASIO.  319 

were  added  to  the  society  of  his  disciples,  keeping  his  com- 
mands? then  we  are  told;  that  justifying  faith  is  cleaving  to 
Christ.  Aspasio  says,  (vol.  2,  p.  68,)  "  Faith  is  styled  a 
receiving  of  Christ :  As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power,  or  granted  the  privilege,  to  become  the  sons  of 
God."  He  might  have  likewise  quoted  the  words  immedi- 
ately following,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name.  If, 
then,  Aspasio  means  no  more  by  receiving  but  believing,  I 
am  ready  to  agree  with  him ;  for  I  can  easily  understand 
how  a  man  may  be  said  to  receive  a  testimony,  when  he 
admits  the  truth  of  it ;  or  how  he  refuses  it,  when  he  rejects 
it  as  false.  But  Aspasio  tells  us  in  this  page,  that  it  is  the 
office  of  faith,  "to  take  and  use  the  inestimable  gift."  If  in 
this,  or  any  other  part  of  the  New  Testament,  more  be  meant 
by  receiving  Christ,  than  by  knowing  him,  or  believing  on 
him,  then  I  am  ready  to  show,  that  more  than  faith  is  meant, 
namely,  faith  with  its  fruits  and  effects. 

In  the  next  page,  Aspasio  saj^s,  "Faith  is  represented  as 
laying  hold  on  God  our  Saviour,  leaning  upon  our  Beloved, 
cleaving  to  the  Lord."  It  is  somewhat  strange  to  find  des- 
criptions of  faith,  drawn  to  us  from  passages  where  there  is 
not  the  least  mention  of  it.  The  first  of  these  three  acts  of 
faith,  refers  to  Is.  xxvii,  5,  "  Let  him  take  hold  of  my  strength, 
that  he  may  make  peace  with  me."  Aspasio  ought,  before 
he  made  use  of  this  text,  first  to  have  inquired,  of  whom 
spcaketh  the  prophet  this  1  of  himself,  or  of  some  other  man  ? 
For  the  context,  as  it  stands  in  our  English  Bible,  seems  to 
point  rather  to  the  Messiah  than  to  any  other.  The  words 
immediately  following  are,  '•  And  he  shall  make  peace  with 
me.  He  shall  cause  them  that  come  of  Jacob  to  take  root : 
Israel  shall  blossom  and  bud,"  &c. — The  second  refers  to 
Cant,  viii,  5,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilder- 
ness, leaning  upon  her  beloved  ?"  The  use  made  of  this  text 
needs,  I  think,  no  remark. — The  third  refers  to  the  exhorta- 
tion of  Barnabas  to  the  believers  at  Antioch,  which  we  have 
considered  already.  Thus,  the  whole  Bible  has  been  ran- 
sacked for  almost  every  expression  of  activity,  in  order  to  des- 
cribe that  faith,  which  yet  is  said  "not  to  contribute  its  quota," 
or  to  do  nothing  toward  our  justification.  Was  ever  any  sub- 
ject so  deeply  buried  in  ambiguity  as  this ! 

But  the  ambiguity  seems  most  difficult  to  be  shaken  off 
from  those  expressions  which  point  more  directly  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  mind,  and  have  least  of  the  metaphor  in  them,  as 
trusting,  relying,  &c.  All  these  expressions  have  respect  to 
the  goodness  and  excellency  of  what  is  believed,  and  serve  to 


320  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

express  our  attachment  to  it  on  that  account.  For  let  me  be 
ever  so  firmly  persuaded  of  bad  'news ;  this  persuasion  or 
faith  may  well  be  the  foundation  of  grief,  fear,  aversion,  &c.  ; 
but  it  can  never  be  the  foundation  of  trust,  joyful  expectation,  or 
reliance.  If  a  testimony  persuades  me  of  the  reality  of  excel- 
lent things,  utterly  unkno\vn  to  me  before,  and  assures  me  of 
good  things  to  come ;  this  persuasion  or  faith  may  justly  be 
called,  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen.  It  may  be  called  the  e'Xeyxof,  the  argument,  evidence, 
proof,  or  conviction  of  invisible  things ;  and  the  wo^ao-^r,  the 
substantial  ground,  or  solid  foundation  of  hope.  The  faith  of 
the  gospel  is,  indeed,  the  basis  of  trust,  courage,  confidence, 
boasting,  and  glorying ;  the  centre  of  esteem,  desire,  gratitude, 
and  love.  It  is  the  foundation  and  centre  of  every  vigorous 
and  every  kindly  aflection  of  the  mind,  of  every  happy  and 
every  grateful  sentiment.  So  soon  as  men  believe  the  truth, 
hope  is  the  benefit  they  receive  by  it.  And  love  or  grateful 
affection  immediately  becomes  their  natural  propensity  toward 
what  gives  them  happiness,  as  well  as  their  indispensably 
commanded  duty. 

All  this  is  agreeable  to  the  Scripture,  which,  speaking  of 
the  revealed  character  of  God,  says,  Psal.  ix,  10,  Thei/  that 
k7iow  thy  name  will  put  their  trust  i?i  thee ;  even  as  the 
natural  knowledge  of  God  in  the  mind  of  unbelievers,  fills 
them  with  fear,  distrust,  and  alienation.  If  one  approaching 
to  a  frozen  lake  or  river,  over  which  he  has  occasion  to  pass, 
tells  me,  that  he  has  been  assured  by  good  information,  that 
the  ice  was  sufficiently  strong  to  support  him,  and  yet,  after 
all,  proves  timorous,  and  averse  to  make  the  trial,  by  ventur- 
ing his  person  freely  upon  it,  I  plainly  perceive  he  has  no 
faith  in  the  report  he  heard  ;  because  he  does  not  trust  in  it ; 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  he  cannot  trust,  rely,  confide  in, 
or  venture  himself  on  the  ice. 

Accordingly,  if  one  tells  me,  that  he  believes  the  gospel, 
and  yet  proves  averse  to  risk  his  interest  or  reputation  in  the 
world  for  the  sake  of  it,  I  immediately  perceive,  that,  whatever 
he  speaks  with  his  mouth,  he  does  not  in  his  heart  believe  the 
gospel,  because  he  puts  no  trust  in  it.  Paul  directs  Timothy 
to  give  the  following  charge  to  such  rich  men  as  professed 
to  believe  the  gospel.  "  Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this 
world,  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain 
riches,  but  in  the  living  God,  who  givethus  richly  all  things 
to  enjoy  ;  that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in  good  works, 
ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communicate ;  laying  up  in 
store  for  themselves  a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to 


LET.   v.]  TIIERON'   AND  ASPASIO.  321 

come,  that  they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life."  From  this, 
and  many  like  passages,  we  may  easily  see  what  the  Scrip- 
ture means  by  trusting,  relying,  leaning,  waiting,  cleaving  to, 
laying  hold  on,  and  many  other  expressions,  which  our  popu- 
lar preachers,  as  averse  to  the  self-denied  obedience,  as  to  the 
simple  belief  of  the  truth,  have  thought  fit  to  press  into  their 
service  for  describing  their  acts  of  faith.  If  we  would  give  a 
summary  description  of  their  faith,  we  must  say,  it  is  a  wish, 
or  a  guess,  or  a  mixture  of  both;  or,  still  more  comprehen- 
sively, it  is  anything,  every  thing,  or  nothing. 

Perhaps  it  has  been  to  relieve  his  brethren  out  of  their 
perplexity  and  confusion  about  faith,  that  Mr.  Jones,  in  his 
late  exposition  of  the  church  catechism,  has  generously 
coined  a  new  distinction,  and  acquainted  his  readers,  that 
"faith  and  belief  are  two  very  difierent  principles."  ii  his 
brethren  would  only  adopt  this  distinction,  w^e  might,  in  all 
time  coming,  be  at  no  loss  to  distinguish  betwixt  actors  of 
faith  and  believers  of  the  gospel. 

The  dexterity  of  our  popular  preachers,  in  handling  the 
Scriptures  about  faith,  to  hide  from  our  eyes  the  saving  truth, 
and  its  genuine  effects,  bears  no  small  resemblance  to  the 
critical  skill  exercised  by  a  more  fashionable  sort  of  preachers, 
to  rob  us  of  the  truth  itself,  and  show  us  that  all  the  passages 
which  speak  of  the  redemption  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ,  have 
really  very  little  or  no  meaning  at  all.     Such  words  as  these, 

either  in   Greek  or    English,  £«  en  vntpiravTuv  aTTEOnvcv,  apa  hi  Trnvrts 

aTTcdai^ov^  If  ont  died  for  all,  then  all  have  died,  would  to 
common  understandhigs,  import  the  same  as.  If  one  hath 
suffered  or  been  punished  for  all,  then  all  in  effect  have  suf- 
fered, or  been  punished ;  or,  to  take  in  the  idea  of  debt,  if 
one  hath  made  full  payment  for  twenty  insolvent  debtors, 
then  the  twenty  have  made  payment.  Here  the  idea  of 
vicarious  suffering,  or  vicarious  payment,  would  readily 
present  itself  to  vulgar  minds.  But  our  doctors  of  refined 
genius,  and  skilled  in  criticism,  are  ready  to  it  11  us,  that  no 
such  idea  must  be  entertained,  either  from  tlii?  or  a  thousand 
other  passages  to  the  same  purpose.  For  why,  the  word 
vicarious  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  whole  Scripture.  And,  if 
it  were  to  be  found,  we  may  be  sure  they  would  next  tell  us, 
that  \acarious  suffering  did  by  no  means  import  one's  suffer- 
ing instead  of  another. 

If  the  Scripture  describe  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  by  all 
the  expressions  used  to  describe  the  sufferings  of  those  who 
are  marked  out  as  objects  of  the  Divine  displeasure ;  if  it 


322  LKTTERS    ON  [LET.   V. 

point  him  forth  as  bearing  iniquity,  smitten  of  God,  put  to 
grief  by  him,  forsaken  of  him,  having  his  face  hid  from  him, 
wounded  and  bruised  by  him,  and  receiving  the  cup  of  mortal 
sorrow  from  him ;  if  it  speak  of  him  as  bearing  sins  his  own 
self  in  his  own  body,  of  iniquity  being  laid  on  him,  and  of 
his  suffering  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust :  our  doctors  are 
ready  to  tell  us,  that  his  suffering  thus  for  men  does  by  no 
means  import  his  being  punished  for  them  ;  and  that  there  is 
a  great  difference  between  suffering  pain  for  sin,  and  being 
punished  for  it. 

Now,  though  some  learned  gentleman  should  suffer  pain 
in  the  next  world  for  perverting  the  Scriptures  in  this,  who, 
but  people  of  a  vulgar  way  of  thinking,  would  imagine,  that 
thereby  they  were  punished  for  it;  perhaps  it  might  appear 
in  some  third  world,  that  they  were  only  suffering  pain,  and 
not  punishment.  Yea,  though  it  should  appear  that  they 
were  to  suffer  forever,  the  question  might  remain,  whether 
or  not  they  were  punished  1  In  like  manner,  though  the 
Scripture  speak  of  one  redeeming  many  from  the  curse  of 
the  law  by  being  made  a  curse  for  them,  we  cannot,  accord- 
ing to  the  mind  of  our  doctors,  say,  that  the  curse  of  the  law 
imports  the  wrath  of  God,  the  punishment  of  sin,  or  the 
reverse  of  his  blessing.  Yea,  it  would  seem,  that,  to  please 
them,  we  must  say,  that  neither  the  curse  nor  the  blessing  of 
God  import,  either  his  inflicting  punishment  on  men,  or  his 
imparting  happiness  to  them.  In  short,  if  we  would  enter 
into  the  spirit  of  their  writings,  or  read  them  Avith  any  satis- 
faction, we  must  have  a  new  dictionary  for  all  the  notable 
words  of  the  New  Testament. 

But  stay,  it  will  be  said,  better  have  a  very  perplexed 
meaning,  or  even  none  at  all  to  the  Scriptures,  than  a  bad 
one;  and  that  these  gentlemen  critics  are  all  along  influenced 
by  the  best  of  motives,  a  concern  for  the  Divine  character, 
the  quiet  of  men's  consciences,  and  the  honour  of  reason. 
Well,  how  does  this  appear  ?  They  would  have  us  to  under- 
stand from  reason,  and  revelation,  at  any  rate,  must  agree, 
that  God  is,  to  a  certain  degree,  merciful  as  well  as  just;  that 
is,  disposed  to  pardon  less  sins,  and  to  punish  greater  ones ; 
or  to  pardon  the  less  and  punish  the  more  guilty  offenders: 
that  as  all  men  are  acknowledged  to  be  sinners,  if  all  sins 
were  punished,  there  would  be  no  room  for  mercy;  and  if  all 
sins  were  pardoned,  there  would  be  no  room  for  justice  to 
appear :  therefore,  that  both  these  divine  perfections  may 
appear,  it  is  necessary  that  the  one  occasionally  give  place  to 
the  other,  according  as  what  wise  men  judge  proper  objects 


LET.   v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  323 

for  either  present  themselves.  "  For  a  good  and  merciful 
being  must,  as  such,  pardon  some  offences.  And  when  a 
man  by  repentance  ceases  to  be  what  he  was,  viz.  an  object 
of  punishment,  and  becomes  what  he  ought  to  be,  viz.  a  good 
man  ;  surely  such  a  one  is  an  object  of  mercy.  Are  not  men 
to  be  encouraged  to  repent,  as  well  as  to  be  deterred  from 
offending?  Let  the  presumptuous  and  obstinate  suffer." 
Here,  for  once,  I  am  ready  to  agree  with  our  monopolizers 
of  reason,  in  affirming,  that  such  a  penitent  as  is  here  de- 
scribed shall  never  be  miserable,  yea,  shall  never  die;  and  I 
have  the  Divine  oath  to  support  me  in  this  affirmation. 

But  I  have  been  told,  w'hat  I  presume  most  individuals, 
not  excepting  our  reasoners,  incline  to  think  for  their  own 
sakes,  that  there  is  no  man  so  bad  but  he  has  some  good 
quality,  and  no  man  so  good  but  he  has  some  bad  one. 
Therefore,  methinks,  the  half  just  and  half  merciful  being 
above  described,  who  cannot  show  mercy  without  setting 
aside  justice,  nor  justice  without  suspending  the  exercise  of 
mercy,  ought,  in  order  to  show  these  two  half  perfections  to 
all  the  proper  objects,  first  to  punish  every  one  for  all  his  bad 
actions,  and  then  reward  him  for  the  remainder  of  good  ones. 
But,  then,  if  there  should  be  found  any  among  mankind,  who 
find  themselves  destitute  of  every  recommendation  to  the 
Divine  favour,  such  I  apprehend  would  be  glad  to  hear  of  a 
greater  God  than  this ;  and  who,  being  less  limited  in  the 
exercise  of  his  mercy,  might  be  capable  of  showing  compas- 
sion to  those  who  have  no  good  qualities  at  all. 

These  gentlemen  are  at  a  great  deal  of  pains  to  show  us 
from  the  Scriptures,  what  we  had  known  though  they  had 
never  been  written,  viz.  that  God  is  essentially  kind  to  the 
righteous,  and  averse  to  the  wicked.  But  they  will  not 
allow  us  to  say,  that  by  an  atonement  God  is  placated  or 
appeased  for  sin ;  though  the  Scripture  declares  him  to  be 
pacified  for  sin,  and  that  his  anger  is  turned  away  from  the 
same  person  against  whom  he  was  wroth ;  and  though  it 
clearly  shows,  in  all  this,  that  with  God  there  is  no  variable- 
ness, neither  shadow  of  turning.  They  tell  us,  that  "  guilt  is 
personal,  and  cannot,  therefore,  be  transferred  or  imputed  to 
the  innocent.  And  to  punish  the  innocent  for  the  guilty,  is 
as  incompatable  with  justice  as  with  mercy  or  goodness. 
The  innocent  person  may  be  willing  to  suffer  for  the  guilty  ; 
but  is  it,  therefore,  just  to  punish  him?  Volenti  nulla  inju- 
ria— true ;  he  has  no  right  to  complain ;  but  have  you  a 
right  to  punish  him  because  he  will  not  complain  ?"* 

*  See  Monthly  Review,  for  June,  175G. 


324  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

Thus  men  reason  about  the  Deity  as  about  their  fellow : 
Have  YOU  a  rigid — /  They  can  think  of  the  Most  High  as 
obliged  with  them  to  love  his  neighbour  as  himself!  Let 
them  declare  if  they  can  who  is  the  neighbour  of  the  Deity  ! 
He  gave  no  right  to  the  judges,  or  even  kings  of  Israel,  to 
punish  the  childien  for  the  parents'  crimes;  but  he  claimed 
it  as  his  o\\m  right,  and  held  it  thus,  "  All  souls  are  mine,  as 
the  soul  of  the  lather,  so  also  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine. 
Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay  1  and,  who  art  thou, 
Oman,  that  repliest  against  God !"  And  now,  when  they 
are  combating  the  apostolic  account  of  Christ's  death,  in  their 
replying  against  God :  this  perhaps  may  lead  some,  who 
have  received  the  doctrine  of  atonement  by  tradition  from  the 
first  reformers,  and  reverenced  it  as  the  good  old  cause,  to 
consider  seriously  on  what  footing  they  hold  it :  and,  accord- 
ingly, may  draw  offtheir  attention  from  the  laboured  descrip- 
tions of  faith,  by  which  that  doctrine  is  daily  undermined. 
No  religious  controversy  can  turn  upon  a  more  interesting 
hinge  than.  Is  there  an  atonement  or  not?  And  such 
teachers  as  profess  regard  to  it,  will  be  much  better  employ- 
ed in  satisfying  themselves  and  others  that  they  hold  it  on 
good  ground,  than  in  giving  out  ambiguous  descriptions  of 
heart-work.  Besides,  they  have  this  advantage  above  its 
ancient  friends,  that  they  have  adversaries  to  deal  with,  who 
profess  readiness  to  join  with  them  in  appealing  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

Our  Christian  opposers  of  the  atonement  say,  "  CTod  was 
always  good,  merciful,  just,  kind.  Christ  did  not  cause  or 
make  these  attributes."  Thus,  they  insinuate,  as  if  the 
ii'iends  of  the  atonement  maintained,  that  it  made  some  change 
in  the  Deity,  or  gave  birth  to  some  new  Divine  attributes ; 
or,  in  other  words,  that  the  Deity  began  to  exist  about  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  eera.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  ex- 
hibition of  Christ,  be  it  for  an  atonement,  or  in  any  other 
character,  assigns  this  as  the  great  end  of  it,  "  That  God 
MIGHT  BE  JUST,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in 
Jesus."  Can  these  gentlemen  imagine,  that  Paul  thought 
the  Deity  less  just,  or  less  in  any  attribute,  before  this  exhi- 
bition, than  after  ?  or,  how  came  they  to  imagine  that  any 
friend  of  the  atonement  ever  thought  so  ? 

They  allow  that  Christ  died  ;  but  they  have  not  yet  satis- 
fied us,  how  a  person  perfect  in  every  virtue,  without  any 
stain  of  sin,  came  to  endure  the  severest  sufferings,  even  mortal 
sorrow,  from  the  hand  of  God,  and  to  be  delivered,  by  his 
determinate   counsel,  to   suffer  a   painful  and  ignominious 


LLT.    v.]  TIIERON   AND  ASPASIO.  325 

death  from  the  hands  of  men.  They  tell  us,  indeed,  that 
"the  prophecies  concerning  the  Messiah  could  not  other- 
wise be  fulfilled."  But  this  does  not  mend  the  matter  in  the 
least.  This  is  only  such  an  apology  as  a  Pagan  would 
make  for  his  Jupiter,  That  he  was  obliged  to  act  as  he  did, 
for  so  it  was  written  in  the  book  of  fate.  But  in  this  case 
we  must  inquire,  how  it  came  thus  to  be  written  in  the  book 
of  fate,  and  who  wrote  it  there  ?  If  there  be  a  God  who 
governs  the  world,  he  must  be  invariably  just.  It  is  incum- 
bent, then,  upon  those  who  zealously  assert  the  Divine 
justice,  and  will  not  allow  it  to  be  consistent  therewith  to 
punish  the  innocent,  to  show  how  it  became  God  to  make 
a  righteous  person  suffer  pain,  and  to  continue  his  suffer- 
ings, while  praying  most  earnestly,  that  if  it  were  possible, 
or  consistent  with  his  will,  they  might  pass  from  him  ;  and 
I  may  add,  how  it  became  God  to  make  him  suffer,  what,  to 
all  observers,  bare  the  appearance  of  punishment ;  yea,  what 
appeared  to  be  so  by  his  own  lamenting  cry  on  the  cross, 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 

Though  the  gentlemen  of  this  class  may  not  be  fully  agreed 
about  the  adapting  of  every  part  of  Scripture  to  their  scheme 
of  redemption  ;  yet  he  who  would  have  his  mind  quite  dis- 
entangled from  all  notions  of  the  necessity  of  atonement  or 
vicarious  punishment,  that  he  may  stand  before  his  Maker 
on  the  footing  of  a  good  man,  who  has  ceased  to  be  an  object 
of  punishment,  and  all  this  without  running  the  risk  of  the 
odious  name  of  an  infidel,  may  with  great  satisfaction  read 
Dr.  Sykes,  whom  I  choose  the  rather  to  mention,  as  he  is 
latest  on  the  field,  and  has  consulted  the  Scriptures  in  a  par- 
ticular manner  on  this  subject. 

This  gentleman  says,  "  Punishment  for  sin  is  certainly  a 
proper  method  of  deterring  men  from  sin.  But  where  is 
Christ  ever  said  to  be  jmnished  '(  where  is  he  said  to  suffer 
vicarious  punishment  ?  Now,  if  Christ  be  never  said  to  be 
punished,  or  to  be  punished  for  others;  that  doctrine  can 
never  be  said  to  be  a  Scripture  doctrine,  which  is  not  to  be 
expressed  in  Scripture  words.  All  that  is  here  contended 
for,  is,  that  the  Scriptures  never  say  that  God  infiictvd  pu?iish^ 
meni,  or  even  sufferings  on  Christ,  in  order  to,  or  with  a 
view  o{  deterring  men  from  sin.^^ 

Now,  it  would  be  to  no  purpose  to  remind  this  writer  of 
the  words  of  Jesus,  "Weep  not  for  me,  but  weep  for  your- 
selves, and  for  your  children;  for  if  they  do  these  things  in 
a  green  tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?"  For  why, 
the  word  deter  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  this  passage.  And, 
28 


326  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  Y, 

though  it  can  easily  be  proved,  that  by  the  green  tree  and 
the  dry,  the  Jews  understood  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
down  from  Ezekiel's  time;  yet,  there  is  no  express  mention 
made  of  an  innocent  person  here ;  and  though  there  were, 
the  Doctor  is  ready  to  show  the  reasoning  of  Jesus  concern- 
inn^  the  green  tree  and  the  dry,  to  be  very  improper  and  in- 
conclusive, by  the  following  argument :  "  And,  indeed,  it 
would  seem  a  strange  method  of  proceeding,  to  punish,  or  to 
make  an  innocent  man  suffer,  in  order  to  deter  sinners  from 
sin.  It  is  not  agreeable  to  the  common  notions  of  either 
punishment  or  justice.  And,  perhaps,  the  direct  contrary  to 
what  is  usually  inferred,  may  with  equal  justice  be  inferred, 
viz.  that  God's  punishing  an  innocent  person,  implies  his 
displeasure  with  innocency,  or  else  that  he  acts  arbitrarily, 
without  regard  to  either  right  or  wrong." 

The  apostles  and  first  Christians  were,  indeed,  so  far  of  the 
Doctor's  mind,  that  they  considered  the  death  of  Christ  as  a 
very  strange  and  uncommon  event.  They  never  heard  of  the 
like  before,  and  they  well  knew  they  would  never  see  the  like 
again.  Yea,  they  represent  it  as  that  which  would  be  matter 
of  wonder  and  praise  eternally  in  the  mansions  of  the  blessed. 
For  here  they  beheld  that  miracle  which  the  Doctor  has  no 
notion  of,  the  perfection  of  justice  and  the  perfection  of  mercy 
shining  together;  and  instead  of  impairing  or  darkening, 
illustrating  each  other.  So  that  while  they  marvelled  at  this 
grand  event,  they  were  far  from  deducing  his  inference.  So 
true  is  it,  that  what  proves  rich  food  to  some,  is  poison  to 
others  ;  or,  to  use  the  apostolic  phrase,  what  proves  the  savour 
of  life  to  some,  proves  the  savour  of  death  to  others. 

Meanwhile  1  willingly  join  our  author  in  opposing  those 
who  "  have  asserted  and  maintained,  that  it  was  Christ  who 
rendered  repentance  of  the  efficacy  which  it  has;"  or  rather, 
which  they  have  falsely  ascribed  to  it,  through  their  igno- 
rance of,  and  disaffection  to  both  repentance  and  the  atonement. 
It  is  meet  that  the  arts  of  these  trimmers  should  be  exposed  by 
both  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  the  atonement.  Accord- 
ingly our  author's  question  is  very  pertinent,  "  How  often 
does  the  expression  occur  of  God's  sending  his  Son;  and  is 
there  once  intimated  any  such  effect  as  the  making  our  repen- 
tance accepted  unto  everlasting  life,  either  by  his  life  or 
death?  Surely  no  fnend  to  the  atonement  will  offer  to  affirm, 
that  any  such  intimation  is  made.  All  itstiue  fritnds  will 
readily  join  in  affirming,  that  Christ  cam.e  to  render  impeni- 
tent sinners  accepted  unto  everlasting  life  by  the  Avorks  which 
he  himself  wrought ;  and  thus,  by  the  discovery  of  preventing 


LET.   v.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  327 

goodness,  to  lead  them  to  repentance.  But,  then,  it  will  be 
said,  this  does  not  agree  with  our  natural  notions.  And  our 
author  is  ready  to  maintain,  that,  "  as  to  revelation,  there  is  not 
one  single  text  but  what  agrees  with  our  natural  notions." 

Here  one  may  be  ready  to  inquire,  what  do  the  enemies 
of  the  atonement  mean  by  their  natural  notions?  Not  to  dip 
far  into  this  question  at  present,  methinks  we  may  have  a 
view  of  some  notions  very  natural  to  them  from  one  of  their 
number,  who  is  much  respected  by  his  fellows,  I  mean  the 
author  of  The  Church  of  England,  Tried  by  Herself,  who  calls 
himself  <J  realfrUnd  to  truth  and  the  gospel.  This  gentleman, 
having,  when  he  entered  into  the  ministry,  subscribed  and 
done  every  thing  the  church  required,  before  he  was  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  the  doctrines  established  in  the  articles, 
liturgy,  &c.,  and  upon  due  examination,  seeing  cause  to  differ 
from  them  in  several  points,  finds  himself  reduced  to  such  a 
strait,  "that  he  must  necessarily  offend,  either  against  the 
church,  or  against  truth  and  his  own  conscience.  And  what 
a  sad  dilemvia  must  a  man  be  under,  when  he  can  neither 
speak  what  he  thinks  truth  with  safety,  nor  be  silent  Avithout 
offence  ?"  This  he  represents  as  the  hard  case  of  the  thinking 
•part  of  the  clergy,  and  accordingly  prays  for  relief,  by  a 
review  of  the  articles,  liturgy,  &c. 

The  authors  of  the  Critical  Review,  for  May,  1756,  express 
their  sympathy  with  this  gentleman,  for  whom  they  see  no 
near  prospect  of  relief,  say  "  In  the  meanwhile  the  writer 
may  sit  down  with  a  quiet  conscience,  and  enjoy  the  noblest 
satisfaction  which  a  human  heart  can  feel,  the  satisfaction  of 
having  discharged  his  duty  to  God  and  his  fellow-creatures, 
and  acquitted  himself  in  the  task  he  undertook,  like  a  man  of 
honour,  religion,  and  virtue."  But  how  or  where  shall  he 
sit  doion  ?  Shall  he  sit  down  quietly,  without  either  eating 
his  loaf  or  repeating  his  liturgy?  or  may  he  with  a  quiet 
conscience  speak  what  he  thinks,  and  boldly  preach  against 
the  articles  and  liturgy,  in  connection  with  which  he  got  his 
living,  and  persist  in  receiving  the  wages  of  iniquity,  and  eat- 
ing the  bread  of  perjury,  as  having  sufficiently  exoncred  his 
conscience,  by  openly  declaring  the  sad  dilemma  into  which 
his  superiors  have  brought  him,  and  wherein  they  still  retain 
him?  I  have  heard  of  a  clergyman  in  Scotland,  who  in  the 
like  dilemma,  resolved  himself  thus :  "  By  my  faith  I  must 
live."  Thus  might  the  thinking  part  of  smugglers,  after 
openly  protesting  against  the  multiplicity  of  taxes,  with  a  quiet 
conscience,  pursue  their  lucrative  schemes;  honestly  declar- 
ing, that  if  they  could  find  any  other  business,  equally  gain- 
ful, without  perjury,  they  would  choose  it  rather. 


d2S  LETTERS  OS  [LET.  V. 

What  occasions  the  sad  dilemma  is  this,  the  thinking  part 
of  the  clergy  lay  it  down  as  a  fundamental  maxim,  That 
their  religion  must  be  subservient  to  their  living  and  interest 
in  the  world.  All  their  natural  notions  serve  to  support  this 
maxim,  whereas,  the  dictates  of  conscience  prove  very  often 
unnaturally  troublesome.  The  consequence  is,  a  character 
must  be  found  for  the  Deity,  agreeable  to  their  natuial  no- 
tions. And  revelation,  so  flir  as  it  speaks  sense,  must  agree : 
for  they  are  ready  to  show  how  many  absurd  and  unnatural 
consequences  would  follow  on  ascribing  to  him  any  other 
character. 

"  He's  like  themselves,  or  how  could  he  be  good  ? 
And  they  blaspheme,  who  blacker  schemes  suppose.*' 

Having  gone  thus  far  among  the  remoter  allies  of  our 
popular  preachers,  I  shall  proceed  only  a  little  further,  and 
then  return.  The  medium  of  modern  orthodoxy,  may,  I 
think,  be  found  in  a  late  "  Remonstrance  against  Lord  Vis- 
count Bolingbroke's  philosophical  religion."  The  a'uthor, 
who  studies  to  express  himself  with  more  than  ordinary  pre- 
cision, speaks  thus,  in  p.  162,  "  That  a  vicarious  punishment 
at  least  is  necessary  to  vindicate  the  Divine  justice,  was  the 
opinion  of  all  those  who  oflered  sacrifice ;  and  it  is  for  the 
sake  of  such  a  punishment  that  Christians  believe,  that  on 
certain  secondary  conditions  sins  are  pardonable."  These 
secondary  conditions  we  may  safely  presume,  are  much 
the  same  with  the  primary  ones  of  the  forementioned  gen- 
tlemen ;  and  though  they  are  not  introduced  to  prove  di- 
rectly, that  the  gospel  is  fabulous;  yet,  to  all  who  admit 
them,  it  is  easy  to  see,  that  the  gospel  can  be  of  no  mare  bene- 
fit than  fable  or  fiction.  But  I  have  no  occasion  to  censure 
this  author,  for  thus  he  himself  proceeds  in  the  same  page. 
Great  must  their  guilt  be,  and  strong  their  disbelief  of  the 
justice,  truth,  goodness,  ani  mercy  of  God,  who  treat  the 
gospel  as  a  fable  and  fiction;  dreadful  must  their  apprehen- 
sions be  on  every  surmise  of  God's  vindictive  justice." 

Methinks  our  writers  who  frustrate  the  doctrine  of  redemp- 
tion by  clogging  it  with  conditions,  and  those  who  flatly 
oppose  it  by  their  critical  skill,  and  great  acquaintance  with 
the  secrets  of  nature  and  reason,  instead  of  exposing,  as  they 
do,  their  absurdity  to  the  observation  of  common  readers,  would 
do  well  to  follow  the  example  given  them  by  Mr.  Hutchinson, 
who  hath  taken  care  to  entrench  himself  so  deeply  among 
new-framed  ideas  to  Hebrew  words,  as  to  make  the  approaches 
of  his  adversaries  at  least  somewhat  difficult  and  tedious. 
This  gentleman,  by  one  stroke  of  criticism  on  the  Hebrew 


LET.   v.]  TIIERON   AND   ASPaSIO.  329 

word  for  lest,  in  Gen.  iii,  22,  hath  presumed  to  fi-iistrate  the 
atonement,  and  overthrow  the  sovereignty  of  the  Most  Hig'h, 
and  is  very  confident  that  he  hath  put  an  end  to  all  disputes 
on  that  score.*  Now,  the  number  of  those  who  read  Hebrew, 
is  but  small  in  comparison  with  those  who  have  some  know- 
ledge of  their  mother-tongue;  and  I  may  add,  even  in  com- 
parison with  those  who  can  make  a  shift  to  read  some  sen- 
tences in  the  Greek  New  Testament.  If,  then,  those  learned 
distinguishers  who  would  comfort  us  with  faith f  instead  of 
truth,  and  those  who  would  comfort  us  with  a  Messiah  suffer- 
ing piin,  but  not  punishment  for  our  sins,  would  go  down 
with  Mr.  Hutchinson  into  the  bottom  of  a  mine,  and  thence 
looking  upward  through  optics  of  their  own  making,  spy 
figures  in  the  clouds,  or  conceive  new  ideas  to  all  Hebrew 
words  having  any  relation  to  faith  or  rcdemjHio/i,  and  then 
publish  their  discoveries  :  methinks  by  this  means  they  might 
secure  their  absurdity  for  some  time,  at  least,  from  the  obser- 
vation of  ordinary  readers. 

Or,  if  this  method  be  too  troublesome,  they  might,  in  order 
to  compromise  matters  with  unbelievers,  at  whose  increase 
they  are  much  afflicted,  chime  in  with  the  Rationcil  Christian, 
author  of  a  late  "  Dissertation,  proving  the  light  of  the  gos- 
pel is  the  light  of  nature,  or  that  true  Christianity  is  rational 
religion  only;"  who  says,  "  My  intention  is,  to  make  appear 
by  Scripture,  that  the  light  of  God's  word  or  gospel  is  in  all 
men ;  that  this  is  that  eternal  life  and  universal  light  held 
forth  by  Jesus  Christ  and  his  disciples;  and  those  who  believe 
and  obey  his  doctrine,  Spirit,  or  nature,  are  said  to  have  Christ 
within  them.  And  all  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  must  be 
built  on,  and  coincide  with  this  fundamental  law  and  light 
of  nature.  What  does  not,  is  not  of  God.  Christ  was  called 
the  Light  of  the  World,  and  the  Word,  and  Spirit  of  God,  be- 

*  Dr  Sykes  hath  ^iven  us  a  criticism  no  le^s  ingenious  on  the  Greek 
word  for  robhrry,  Phil.  ii,6.  in  order  to  undermine  the  dignity  ofthat  person 
b}'  whom  the  atoueineiit  was  made. 

t  One  mav  iii(Ud^o  me  in  treati;)g  these  men  with  some  freedom,  when 
I  tell  him,  tJiat  they  have  ffiven  a  false  direction  to  a  pen,  from  wliich  I 
receive  1,  and  Irom  which  I  hoped  more  s;itisfaction  tiian  from  a;iy  other 
in  En2fland;  a  pen  that  seemed  far  better  fitted  ior  drawinsj  out  fair  the 
^'reat  lines  of  Divine  truth,  than  for  copying  the  mazes  of  seli-aceUing 
men. 

I  shall  likewise  take  this  occasion  to  say,  that  though  I  acknowledge 
several  of  the  reflections  made  against  Mr.  Hutchinson  and  his  followers 
by  tlieir  adversaries  to  be  just ;  yet  I  am  apt  to  think,  that  not  a  few  of 
their  adversaries,  mistaking  them  for  real  fi-iends  to  tl  e  atonement,  by 
observing  some  kind  of  zeal  for  it,  or  rath.er  a  noise  about  it  in  their 
writings,  bear  them  no  good  will  on  that  account. 
28» 


330  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

cause  he  preached  that  light,  that  word,  tliat  spirit ;  as 
Anaxagoras  was  called  the  mind,  because  he  taught  that  a 
mind  governed  the  world.  And  as  Christ's  doctrine  mani- 
fested God  and  his  laws  to  men,  so  his  disciples  called  the 
manifestation  of  God  to  men  by  the  name  Jesus  and  Christ. 
The  outward  Christ  must  die,  and  all  our  dependence  on 
him  must  go  away,  that  the  internal  and  spiritual  Messiah, 
the  mystical  Jesus,  intellectual  light,  and  Divine  understand- 
ing, may  arise  and  shine  in  our  souls.  All  things  concern- 
ing Jesus  Christ  without,  arc  but  an  allegory  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  soul." 

Here  is  a  notable  foundation  for  a  coalition  of  religious 
parties.  And  if  our  avowed  unbelievers  would  only  conde- 
scend to  clothe  their  own  sentiments  with  some  words  and 
names  borrowed  from  the  religion  of  their  country,  they  also 
might  gain  the  reputation  of  good  Christians.  In  this  quo- 
tation, we  may  see  the  substance  of  what  is  at  bottom  meant 
and  aimed  at  by  many  preachers  of  different  classes,  as  well 
as  by  freethinkers  :  if  we  only  set  aside  the  adventitious  tenets 
and  forms  of  expression  which  various  parties  adopt,  in  order 
to  give  some  peculiar  dignity  or  distinguishing  importance  to 
their  several  schemes. 

I  only  propose  these  hints  to  our  learned  distinguishers  for 
their  own  credit  and  conveniency,  as  it  is  highly  probable 
they  will  never  be  able  to  procure,  by  the  force  of  reasoning, 
such  a  general  compliance  with  any  of  their  particular  sys- 
tems, as  has  been  formerly  brought  about  by  another  kind  of 
force.  Meantime,  they  are  very  welcome,  for  my  part,  to 
take  their  own  course.  They  may  well  do  undesigned  ser- 
vice, it  is  far  beyond  their  power  to  do  the  least  hurt  to  the 
kingdom  of  Christ. 

If  we  inquire  what  moves  them  to  take  so  much  pains  to 
oppose  the  notion  of  atonement  or  vicarious  punishment,  or, 
when  it  is  admitted,  to  frustrate  it  by  secondary  conditions  ; 
some  of  them  will  be  apt  to  reply,  That  they  are  moved  with 
concern  for  the  support  of  piety,  and  that  they  are  jealous  for 
the  interests  of  morality.  They  are  very  careful  of  the  hon- 
our of  the  gospel,  and  they  would  so  explain  it,  as  that  it 
should  be  no  way  exposed  to  any  of  those  objections  formerly 
made  against  Paul's  doctrine.  When  one  observes  how  geri- 
eral  the  pious  resentment  against  the  doctrine  of  atonement 
is,  he  would  be  apt  to  imngine,  that  perfect  love  to  righte- 
ousness, and  hatred  to  sin,  reigned  in  the  breasts  of  all,  except 
the  few  fools  who  believe  it. 

Iti  Bayly's  dictionary,  in  the  article  Japan,  we  are  inform- 


LET.   v.]  TIIEROX    AND   ASPASIO.  331 

cd  of  the  like  zeal  shown  by  Father  Posscvin,  a  Jesuit, 
against  the  idolatrous  Japanese,  who  laid  no  small  stress  on 
their  atonement.  "  The  last  fault  he  censures  is,  that  the 
laws  of  Japan  declare,  that  by  the  mere  invocation  of  Namau- 
midabut,  or  by  cryinjj  Forenguelio,  men  expiate  all  sorts  of 
sins  without  any  need  of  repentance.  The  Japanese  (con- 
tinues he)  make  no  mention  of  satisfactory  pains  or  good 
works.  They  pretended  that  these  things  are  injurious  to  the 
merit  of  Xaca  and  Amida,  who  have  been  sufijciently  afHict- 
ed  for  the  crimes  of  men,  and  have  fully  expiated  them  by 
their  sufferings.  This  doctrine  opens  the  way  to  sin ;"  for, 
&.C.  Yet  the  same  article  produces  other  testimonies,  to 
show  that  those,  here  censured  by  the  Jesuit  for  making  no 
mention  o{  satisfactory  pains  or  good  works,  were  neverthe- 
less at  uncommon  pains  to  enforce  the  practice  of  morality; 
and  that  they  made  one  of  the  three  principal  sects  of  the 
Japanese,  It  is  natural  on  this  occasion  to  resume  the  old 
question.  Hath  a  nation  changed  their  gods,  w'hich  are  yet 
no  gods  ?  Yet,  if  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the  New  Testament, 
we  may  well  say,  A  greater  than  Xaca  and  Amida  is  here  ! 
But,  leaving  these  general  reflections,  let  us  return  to  our 
controversy  about  faith. 

Perhaps  it  will  now  be  inquired.  Are  no  rules  to  be 
observed,  no  means  to  be  used,  no  works  to  be  exerted  by  the 
human  mind  or  body,  in  order  to  justification  ?  The  answer 
is  ready :  Yes,  very  many.  And  they  may  be  thus  shortly 
summed  up :  Be  perfect,  keep  the  commandments,  and  thou 
shalt  live.  The  obligation  of  the  law  is  eternal,  so  can  never 
be  loosed.  But  perhaps  another  state  of  the  question  will  be 
demanded,  and  that  faith  should  be  more  directly  respected 
therein.  Well,  then,  let  it  stand  thus:  Ought  not  a  man  to 
be  at  pains  to  attain  to  the  persuasion,  that  all  the  pains  he 
takes  are  good  for  nothing,  except  to  enhance  his  guilt? 
Here,  mothinks,  we  are  landed  at  downright  absurdity.  For 
who  will  labour  in  the  hopf-s  of  being  convinced  that  all  his 
labour  is  to  no  purpose,  unless  to  his  hurt?  Who  will  travel 
an  iiundred  miles,  in  the  hopes  of  being  persuaded  at  tha 
journey's  end  of  his  folly  in  attempting^  to  travel  at  all  ?  Yet 
on  some  such  principle  we  must  travel,  and  that  too  with 
much  fatigue,  and  in  the  midst  of  many  perplexities,  if  we 
will  !>♦>  conducted  by  the  popular  doctrine. 

The  question,  tlien,  will  still  remain,  How  is  faith  obtain- 
ed ?  This  I  would  answer  by  putting  another  question,  How 
have  the  mo.st  remarkable  discoveries  that  have  served  most 


332  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

for  til e  accommodation  of  human  life  been  obtained?  Has 
not  that  Providence,  which  continually  watches  over  the  life 
of  man,  prevented  human  skill  and  industry  in  giving-  the 
first  hint  of  these?  I  have  been  told,  that  the  polar  direc- 
tion of  the  magnet  obtruded  itself  on  the  first  discoverer, 
when  he  Vv'as  in  quest  of  no  such  thing-,  being  occupied  in 
some  very  different  inquiry.  Do  we  not  owe  our  knowledge 
of  the  salutary  virtue  of  the  Jesuit's  bark,  and  many  other 
medicines,  to  the  Divine  Providence  preventing  human  saga- 
city? Has  not  the  chymist  been  often  surprised  with  useful 
discoveries  when  at  his  wit's  end,  and  when  he  thought  all 
his  labour  and  expense  lost  ? 

If,  then,  it  evidently  appears,  by  the  frequent  and  remarka- 
ble escapes  and  deliverances  of  unwary  men,  by  the  daily 
preservation  of  all,  and  the  many  unexpected  comforts  pro- 
vided for  their  lives  that  God  hath  not  left  him  without  wit- 
ness, even  in  the  common  course  of  nature,  must  we  not 
think,  that,  in  the  distribution  of  supernatural  favours,  it  well 
becomes  Divine  grace  to  appear  in  a  distinguished  manner  ? 
There  it  is  meet  that  the  arm  of  the  Lord  should  be  revealed. 
Accordingly,  Jesus  siid  to  Nicodemus,  "  The  wind  bloweth 
where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst 
not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goelh ;  so  is  every 
one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  No  man  can  account  for  his 
being  privileged  with  the  knowledge  of  the  simple  truth, 
while  he  observes  many  of  quicker  understanding  than  him- 
self remaining  in  their  opposition  to  it.  But  he  can  giv^e  a 
very  good  account  of  what  comforts  him.  He  has  in  readi- 
ness a  solid  and  sober  reason  to  give  for  his  hope ;  even  as 
he  who  has  providentially  been  surprised  with  some  valuable 
discovery  in  any  branch  of  art,  cannot  tell  v/hy  he  was  the 
first  discoverer,  but  he  can  give  a  good  reason  for  his  subse- 
quent practice  founded  upon  it,  as  having  a  clear  notion  of 
Avhat  has  been  discovered  to  him. 

Paul;  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  toward  the  close  of 
chap.  X,  informs  us  how  faith  comes.  He  tells  us,  li  comes 
by  hearing,  and  hearing  hy  the  word  of  God.  He  then  leads 
ns  to  observe,  what  in  fact  took  place  among  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, as  to  the  belief  of  the  gospel,  that  many  of  the  latter, 
who  were  living  in  the  grossest  ignorance  of  God,  readily 
came  to  the  knowledge  of  it ;  while  the  bulk  of  the  former, 
notwithstanding  their  many  and  great  advantages,  continued 
in  their  opposition.  As  many  questions  might  arise  in  the 
minds  of  men  about  the  surprising  event,  the  Apostle  pre- 
vents,   and   silences  them,   by  the   only  answer  that  could 


LET.   v.]  THEROX   AND   ASPASIO.  333 

be  given  to  them.  He  examines  if  any  reason  or  excuse  for 
the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  could  be  drawn  from  their  labour- 
ing under  any  disadvantage  or  incapacity  in  comparison  willi 
others ;  and  if,  on  the  other  hand,  there  was  any  favourable 
symptom  in  the  case  of  the  Gentiles,  that  promised  the  gospel 
any  better  reception  among  thtm.  So  he  moves  the  following 
question  on  the  case  of  the  Jews,  who  obeyed  not,  so  did  not 
believe  the  truth :  But  I  say,  have  ihcij  'not  heard  ?  In 
answer  to  this  he  maintains,  that  the  sacred  oracles,  compared 
to  the  heavenly  luminaries,  had  extended  their  influence  to 
all  parts  of  the  earth  where  the  Jews  were  dispersed  :  Yes, 
verili/,  their  sound  wcni  into  ail  the  earth,  and  their  ivords 
V7ito  the  end.  of  the  world. 

But,  then,  some  men  may  reap  not  benefit  from  what  they 
hear,  by  reason  of  their  being  more  unlearned  or  more  dull 
of  apprehension  than  others.  Accordingly,  the  next  question 
runs  thus.  But  I  say,  Did  not  Israel  know  ?  To  this  a  two- 
fold answer  is  given,  the  one  from  Moses,  and  the  other  from 
Isaiah.  In  the  first  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  intimates,  that,  in 
sacred  learning,  the  Jews  would  far  excel  the  Gentiles,  who, 
in  comparison  with  them,  are  described  as  having  no  wisdom, 
and  as  unworthy  to  be  accounted  a  people  ;  yet  declares,  that 
these  fools  would  obtain  the  right  hand  of  them  as  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  God,  and  access  to  his  favour,  and  so  provoke 
them  to  jealousy.  In  the  second  it  is  declared,  that  this  know- 
ledge, with  its  attendant  blessings,  would  be  bestowed  on  them 
that  were  no  way  in  quest  of  it.  'I'he  two  answers  run  thus  ; 
"  First,  Moses  saith,  1  will  provoke  you  to  jealousy  by  them 
that  are  no  people,  and  by  a  foolish  nation  I  will  anger  you. 
But  Esaias  is  very  bold,  and  saith,  I  was  found  of  them  that 
sought  me  not ;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them  that  asked 
not  after  me.  But  to  Israel  he  saith.  All  day  long  I  have 
stretched  forth  my  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying 
people."  Though  the  Jews  then  eagerly  studied  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  had  all  the  knowledge  of  them  that  tlie  utmost  of 
human  zeal  and  sagacity  could  lead  them  to,  yet  all  their 
knowledge  only  prompted  them  the  more  to  gainsa}"  and 
disobey  the  great  scope  and  end  of  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets.* 

•■  The  like  m:iy  be  seen  in  our  own  time.  I  shall  just  jioint  at  a  recent 
in.stance.  In  a  late  Haniioiuf  of  the.  Four  Gospds,  we  can  easily  see  the 
abilities  of  the  commentator,  and  of  the  critic  :  but  at  the  same  time  we 
lind  all  these  abilities  employed  to  hide  from  our  eyes  the  jrrand  purpose 
ibr  which  the  four  jjospels  were  written:  to  set  aside  the  srand  pecu- 
liarity of  tiie  Divine  grace,  by  insinuating  suppositions  and  deceitiul 
glosses  on   the  facts  aad   savings  wherein  that  grace   most  eminently 


334  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

The  design  of  the  passage  is  plainly  to  show,  that  faith 
comes  not  by  any  human  endeavours,  or  the  use  of  any  means, 
even  under  the  greatest  advantages  that  men  can  enjoy,  but 
of  that  same  sovereign  good  pleasure  which  provided  the 
grand  thing  believed.  Paul  himself,  while,  with  great  heavi- 
ness of  heart,  he  declares  the  rejection  of  his  brethren  who 
believed  not,  and  considers  them  as  anathematized,  or  accursed 
from  Christ,  is  far  from  glorying  over  any  of  them.  For  in 
the  bosom  of  the  sentence  wherein  he  bewails  them,  he  de- 
clares, that  had  be  been  left  to  his  own  former  wish  and 
choice,!  he  had  remained  in  that  dreadful  condition  wherein 
he  now  perceives  them  to  be.  All  his  former  zeal  and  know- 
ledge served  to  attach  him  to  what  he  saw  his  brethren  now 
with  regret  persisting  in. 

As  the  Christian  teachers,  for  the  most  part,  differ  from  the 
Jewish  only  in  style,  so  the  directions  given  by  both  have 
the  same  effect  on  the  mind  of  the  hearer;  for  it  is  much  the 
same  whether  he  be  prompted  to  exert  acts  of  faith,  or  do  the 
works  of  the  law,  in  order  to  justification.  The  very  nature 
of  his  exercise  in  either  case  must  serve  greatly  to  disaffect 
his  mind  to  the  saving  truth,  which  shows  that  all  his  endea- 
vours can  only  serve  to  aggravate  his  guilt. 

Still  it  must  be  said,  that  faith  comes  by  hearing,  and  hear- 
ing by  the  word  of  God.  This  is  the  only  mean  which  God 
makes  use  of  for  making  men  wise  unto  salvation.  And  his 
sovereignty  appears  not  a  little  in  the  conveyance  of  his  word 
to  nations  and  particular  persons.  The  gospel  is  called 
^aprvptov  iSioiT  Katpois;  a  testimomj  exhibited  in  his  own  times. 


shines.  I  have  already  given  an  instance  of  the  author's  manner  of 
treating  the /rtc^s,  in  a  fonner  quotation  concerning  the  thief  on  the  cross. 
For  his  manner  of  treating  tiie  sayings,  see  how  he  connnents  on  Matt, 
chap,  xi,  near  the  close,  particularly  this  saying,  Thou  hast  h'ul  (Iiese  thwgs 
from  the,  insc  and  prudent,  and  hast  rcrralcd  them  unto  babes;  and  this 
other,  Coinr,  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  &c. 

)<oni.     IX,    t)     W"yi>fnv   yan    avTOi    fyfo    ni'dOejia    etPdt     azo    tov   A-O'fOT  : 

For  I  myself  was  wishing  to  he  an  anathema  from  Christ.  Let  these 
nords  be  read  as  a  parenthesis,  and  then  Paul's  lamentation  over  the 
Jews  will  run  easily  thus :  /  have  great  sorroio,  and  continual  heaviness 
in  wy  heart,  (  )  for  my  bretJiern,  my  kinsmaii  according  to  the 

fesh.  Thus  Paul,  in  the  bosom  of  his  lamentation,  gives  the  reason  of  it, 
viz.  That  he  beheld  with  sorrow  his  kinsman  anathematized  from  CLrst: 
for  the  reason  of  his  sorrow  is  no  where  else  intimated  in  the  passage. 
And  he  intinjates  it  in  such  a  manner,  a?  to  show  that  he  is  far  from 
glorying  over  them  ; — that  he  was  as  deeply  guilty  as  anv  of  them  ; — and 
that  it  was  in  no  respect  owing  to  his  wish  or  choice,  that  he  was  now 
happily  delivered  from  that  dismal  condition  wherein  he  with  sorrow 
beholds  them  involved. 


LET.   v.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  335 

Now  it  shines  in  one  region,  and  leavers  another  in  darkness  : 
then  it  takes  its  residence  in  the  latter,  and  ibrsakts  the  for- 
mer ;  and  thus  takes  its  course  through  all  nations  in  difier- 
ent  ages,  as  the  lightning  shining  from  under  one  part  of 
heaven  to  the  other.  Wherever  God  purposes  to  save  men 
of  any  nation,  thither  he  sends  his  gospel  in  his  proper  time. 
Paul  and  Silas  essayed  to  go  into  Bithynia,  but  the  Spirit 
suffered  them  not.  And  they  were  directed  by  a  heavenly 
vision  to  go  into  Macedonia,  where  the  word  of  the  Lord  had 
free  course  and  was  glorified.  Paul  met  with  great  opposi- 
tion when  he  came  to  Corinth,  but  the  Lord  encouraged  him 
to  continue  there  :  For  (said  he)  /  hare  much  people  m  this 
city. 

In  Christian  countries,  the  people  are  generally  taught 
to  make  the  same  use  of  the  Scripture  as  the  bulk  of  the  Jews 
did;  that  is,  to  learn  how  they  may  work  the  works  of  God 
in  order  to  justification.  Yet  it  is  a  great  blessing  to  man- 
kind to  have  the  Scripture  among  them.  By  means  of  it, 
God  will  bring  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  all  whom  he 
intends  to  s:ive,  in  spite  of  all  the  arts  of  the  teacheis.  And 
when  any  diligent  votary  of  the  popular  doctrine,  is  overcome 
by  the  evidence  of  the  sacred  truth,  he  will  find  himself,  like 
Paul,  happily  delivered  from  that  path  wherein  his  former 
zealous  wish  and  choice  led  him  to  walk. 

I  would  be  fir  from  refusing  even  to  the  popular  preachers 
themselves,  what  they  so  much  grudge  to  others,  the  benefit 
of  the  one  instance  of  an  hardened  sinner's  finding  mercy  at 
last :  for  1  know  no  sinners  more  hardened,  none  greater 
destroyers  of  mankind  than  they.  Now,  let  us  suppose,  that 
one  of  these,  after  having  spent  half  a  century  in  perverting 
the  gospel  to  the  ruin  of  himself  and  his  hearers,  is  busily 
em'ployed  in  studying,  for  the  usual  entertainment  of  his  audi- 
ence, to  accommodate  some  part  of  the  gospel  to  his  favourite 
scheme. — The  text  proves  too  hard  for  him. — He  is  difficulted. 
— He  is  perplexed. — He  sweats  in  vain. — It  will  not  do. — 
The  glory  and  excellency  of  the  work  of  Christ,  which  he 
had  been  all  his  life  labouring  to  throw  a  veil  over,  arises  in 
his  view  in  full  opposition  to  all  the  heartwork  he  had  been 
preaching  up. — He  is  ashamed  and  confounded,  yet  filled 
with  v»o:ider  at  the  glorious  exchange. — He  comrs"  forth  to 
his  con  grog  ition,  acquaints  them  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart, 
That  he  anrj  they  had  hitherto  been  walking  in  the  broad 
way  to  destruction,  the  blind  leading  the  bl-nd,  &c.  What 
must  be  the  eficct  ?  No  less  than  such  a  revolution  as  hap- 
pened in  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth.     Yea,  if  the  laws  and 


336  LKTTEUS    ON  [LET.   V. 

manners  of  the  country  allowed,  I  dare  say  the  devout  people 
would  tear  him  in  pieces,  if  they  did  not  ccuclude  he  had 
gone  distracted. 

I  shall  close  this  letter  with  observing-,  that  though  the 
intricacies  of  error  be  endless,  yet  nothing  is  more  simple 
than  the  gospel;  and  its  simplicity  is  one  great  reason  why 
it  is  so  much  despised. 

I  am,  &c. 

POSTSCRIPT, 

That  we  may  have  the  fewer  points  to  attend  to  in  the 
next  letter,  I  would  here  subjoin,  by  vvay  of  postscript  to  this, 
some  reflections  on  the  assurance  or  appropriation  said  to  be 
essential  to  saving  faith. 

While  various  terms  and  distinctions  are  coined  by  popular 
preachers  on  this  subject,  great  neglect  is  slioun  to  a  very 
plain  and  obvious  distinction,  which  Paul  makes  betwixt  the 
assurance  of  faith,  and  the  assurance  of  hope. 

The  expression  used  by  the  Apostle  is  plerophorj/.  Our 
translators  render  it  sometimes  assurance,  and  sometimes /w/Z 
assurance.  I  am  content  with  either  ;  but  would  incline  to 
use  a  sing-le  expression,  as  our  translators  have  found  them- 
selves obliged  to  do  in  1  Thess.  i,  5;  where,  to  avoid  the 
impropriety  of  saying  much  full  assurance,  they  have  con- 
tented themselves  with  saying  much  assurance.  At  any  rate, 
the  Apostle's  expression  is  plainly  opposed  to  all  doubting; 
yet  that  assurance  may  be  deemed  greatest  which  has  the 
greatest  trials  to  withstand. 

There  is  this  remarkable  difference  betwixt  the  assurance 
of  faith  and  the  assurance  of  hope,  that  when  men  first  become 
possessed  of  the  former,  they  obtain  it  without  their  using 
any  endeavours  in  search  of  it ;  for  it  comes  to  them  unsent 
for,  as  it  did  to  rhe  Thessalonians ;  whereas,  the  assurance 
of  hope  is  enjoyed  only  by  those  who  give  all  diligence  to 
obtain  it. 

The  first  of  these  was  called  for  in  a  man's  first  profession 
of  the  fiith,  upon  his  first  hearing  the  gospel,  in  order  to  his 
being  acknowledged  for  a  Christian,  So  Philip  said  to  the 
Eunuch  desiring  baptism,  "  If  thou  believcst  with  all  thine 
heart,  thou  mayst."  To  which  the  Eunuch  answered,  "  I 
believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God."  This  same 
assurance  Avas  professed  by  the  apostles.  For  when  Jesus 
called  upon  them  to  profess  their  faith,  they  said,  "  We  be- 
lieve, and  are  sure,  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  337 

living  God."  However  insignificant  this  faith  be  now 
reckoned,  yet  Jesus  declared  that  flesh  and  blood  had  not 
revealed  it,  but  the  heavenly  Father.  And  the  apostles 
have  assured  us,  that  all  who  agreed  with  them  in  this  had 
equally  precious  faith  with  them.  The  assurance  of  faith 
is  likewise  necessary  to  the  drawing  near  to  God  in  his 
worship.     See  Heb.  x,  22. 

The  assurance  of  hope  again,  is  an  enjoyment  proposed 
to  them  who  believed  and  had  already  begun  the  Christian 
race,  which  they  were  called  to  follow  after,  and  give  all 
diligence  to  obtain,  in  the  work  and  labour  of  love,  shown  to 
the  name  or  revealed  character  of  God,  in  ministering  to  the 
saints.  The  assurance  of  hope,  then,  holds  pace,  first  and 
last,  M^ith  the  work  and  labour  of  love.  If  love  cools,  hope 
languishes.  If  the  former  is  fervent,  the  latter  is  joyful. 
There  was  no  Christian,  however  eminent,  in  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  but  needed  the  exhortation,  to  give  all  diligence 
for  maintaining  and  confirming  the  assurance  of  hope  ;  even 
as  there  was  no  Christian  so  far  advanced,  but  he  still  needed 
to  attend  to  the  exhortation,  "  Follow  after  charity." 

Among  those  who  professed  the  gospel,  so  were  acknow- 
ledged for  Christians,  the  apostles  made  it  highly  criminal, 
for  any  man  to  re-examine  the  faith,  or  call  in  question  the 
truth;  yet  they  often  called  on  men  to  examine  themselves, 
and  to  be  very  cautious  how  they  concluded  that  their  state 
was  changed  ;  yea,  that  they  ought  not  to  conclude  they  were 
Christians  on  the  same  grounds  by  which  others  were  bound 
to  love  them  as  such,  seeing  every  man  is  best  acquainted 
with  the  spring  or  motive  of  his  own  actions.  It  was  a  crime 
in  their  followers  to  examine  the  faith,  but  their  duty  to  ex- 
amine whether  they  were  in  the  faith.  No  man,  then,  can 
be  charged  with  the  sin  of  disbelieving  the  gospel,  for  doubt- 
ing if  he  be  a  good  Christian,  if  Christ  died  for  him,  or  if  he 
be  one  of  the  elect ;  all  of  these  having  the  same  import. 
For  his  chief  hazard  lies  on  the  other  side,  seeing  self-conceit 
naturally  leads  every  man  to  judge  too  favourably  of  himself. 
Yea,  we  find  the  apostles  ready  to  quash  the  confidence  of 
those  who  were  too  ready  to  conclude  their  state  was  changed, 
by  such  awful  sentences  as  this  :  He  thoA  saith,  I  know  him, 
and  kecpeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth 
is  not  ill  him. 

Now,  it  ought  to  be  attended  to,  that  no  professor  of  the  faith 

can  form  a  proper  judgment  of  his  state,  merely  by  "  poring 

on   his  own   heart,"   and  examining  whether  his  religious 

thoughts  be  of  the  right  kind  or  not :  for  if  he  is  not  engaged 

29 


338  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

in  the  practice  of  the  peculiar  precepts  of  Christianity,  or  in 
doing  those  works  which  are  the  proper  fruits  of  faith,  he  has 
no  occasion  for  self-examination,  as  there  is  in  that  case  no 
room  for  any  doubt  concerning  his  state.  But  as  men  may 
be  engaged  in  the  practice  of  the  same  works  from  very  dif- 
ferent motives,  of  which  every  man's  own  conscience  is  best 
judge,  a  field  is  hereby  opened  for  self  examination.  And  it 
must  be  owned,  that  it  is  much  easier  for  one  to  form  a  proper 
judgment  of  his  motives  of  action,  or  the  springs  of  his  habitual 
practice,  than  of  those  thoughts  which  have  no  immediate 
connection  with  the  correspondent  works:  for  men  very 
readily  deceive  and  impose  upon  themselves,  as  to  the  mere 
thoughts  or  impressions  that  pass  through  their  hearts.  And 
nothing  is  more  common  than  to  hear  men,  on  whose  practice 
the  gospel  has  very  little  or  no  influence,  expressing  excellent 
sentiments,  and  talking  freely  of  the  good  impressions  that  have 
been  made  on  their  hearts. 

There  is  another  thing  to  be  considered  with  regard  to 
assurance.  The  apostles  frequently  declare  their  assurance 
of  faith  and  of  hope  in  the  same  passage.  While  they  express 
their  faith  in  Christ,  they  are,  at  the  same  time,  confident  of 
their  interest  in  him.  This  joint  assurance  they  sometimes 
express  in  fellowship  with  all  who  follow  their  footsteps,  and 
often  in  language  plainly  distinguishing  the  apostles  themselves 
from  other  professors  of  the  faith.  In  John's  first  epistle,  the 
apostles  are  often  distinguished.  It  begins  with  what  was 
peculiar  to  them.  "  Tliat  which  was  from  the  beginning, 
which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with  our  eyes, 
which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled  of 
the  word  of  life,"  &c.  And  it  proceeds  thus,  "  Truly  our  fel- 
lowship is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  And 
these  things  write  we  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may  be  full. — 
And  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only, 
&c. — We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren  :  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother, 
abideth  in  death,  &c. — We  are  of  God  :  he  that  knoweth  God, 
heareth  us,  &c. — Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and 
he  in  us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.  And  we  have 
seen  and  do  testify,  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  the  world,  &c. — And  this  is  the  record,  that  God 
hath  given  to  us  eternal  life:  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son. — We 
know  that  we  are  of  God,"  (fee. 

Jesus  Christ  said  to  his  apostles,  before  he  left  the  world, 
John  xiv,  15 — 18,  "  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments. 
And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another 


LET.  v.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  339 

Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever:  even  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it 
seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him;  but  ye  know  him,  for 
he  dvvelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I  will  not  leave 
you  comfortless;  I  will  come  to  you."  Jesus  Christ  declares, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  already  dwelt  with  his  apostles,  as  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  even  as  the  soul  and  meaning  of  what  they 
confessed,  when  they  said.  We  believe  and  are  sure,  that  thou 
art  the  Christ,  the  So7i  of  the  living  God.  This  Spirit,  who 
was  soon  to  be  sent  as  the  Comforter,  he  says,  the  world  can- 
not receive ;  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him, 
as  being-  ignorant  of,  and  disaffected  to  the  truth  whereof  he 
is  the  Spirit.  But  to  his  apostles  he  says,  Ye  know  him,  for 
he  dwell eih  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you  ;  that  is,  ye  know 
him,  because  ye  know  the  truth  whereof  he  is  the  Spirit.  He 
already  dwelleth  with  you  as  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and  shall 
hereafter  be  in  you  as  the  Comforter.  The  Spirit,  as  the 
Comforter,  was  not  given  till  Jesus  was  glorified.  Moreover, 
the  promise  of  the  Comforter  is  only  to  Christ's  friends,  doing 
whatsoever  he  commands,  and  patiently  bearing  the  hatred 
of  the  world  on  his  account. 

The  Spirit  of  the  truth  is  at  first  found  of  them  that  seek 
him  not,  when  men,  in  the  course  of  their  alienation  from  God, 
are  surprised  and  overcome  by  the  evidence  of  the  truth.  The 
same  Spirit,  acting  as  the  Comforter,  is  given  oniy  to  those 
who  are  already  the  friends  of  Christ,  obeying  his  commands, 
to  assure  them  that  they  are  his  friends.  To  this  purpose 
Paul  says.  Gal.  iv,  6,  "  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath 
sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba, 
Father. 

'  The  Holy  Spirit,  then,  acts  a  twofold  part,  as  he  breathes 
in  the  gospel.  He  reconciles  enemies,  and  he  comforts  friends. 
And  in  either  case,  he  speaks  not  of  himself,  but  he  glorifies 
Christ.* 

In  the  former  case,  he  acts  as  the  soul  of  that  truth,  which 


*  To  what  is  above  said,  it  may  be  added,  that  he  never  speaks  one 
word  or  sentence  to  any  particular  person,  beyond  what  is  written  in 
the  Scripture.  Nor  does  he  ever  apply  to  any  person's  case,  any  written 
sentence,  unsuitably  to  the  genuine  scope  of  all  the  Scriptures.  And 
who  can  think  it  incredible,  that  Cod  should  thus  correspond  with  men  ? 
May  not  the  Deity  correspond  with  men  by  means  of  the  words  of  a 
written  book  now,  as  well  as  he  did  by  various  other  signs  of  old  1  Yea, 
nothing  is  more  common,  than  for  men  to  communicate  their  temper 
and  spirit  to  each  other  by  speech  or  writing. 


340  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  T. 

opens  at  once  a  door  of  reconciliation  for  the  most  wicked  of 
mankind,  and  has  no  respect  to  any  difference  or  distinction 
among  them.  In  the  latter  case,  he  acts  as  the  soul  of  those 
consolatory  friendly  sayings,  which  Christ  left  behind  him 
on  the  earth,  before  he  ascended  to  heaven,  and  by  which  he 
proposed  to  correspond  with  his  friends  in  his  absence  from 
them.  So  that  when  men  are  led,  by  love  to  the  bare  truth, 
to  glory  in  it  alone  before  God  and  men,  to  suffer  patiently 
the  loss  of  all  things  for  its  sake  ;  yea,  when  they  are  cast  off 
at  all  hands,  hated  of  all  men  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  name, 
the  Holy  Spirit  encourages  them  to  endure  to  the  end.  He 
brings  to  their  remembrance  the  consolatory  words  which 
Christ  left  for  the  comfort  of  his  friends ;  and,  speaking  in 
the  person  of  Christ,  says,  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  what- 
soever I  command  you,  &c.  And  thus  he  acts  as  the  Com- 
forter, according  to  the  promise  of  Christ,  who  said,  "  If  ye 
keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide  in  my  love,  even  as 
I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and  abide  in  his 
love." 

The  apostles  assure  us,  from  their  own  experience,  that 
Christ  did  not  fail  to  make  good  his  promise:  For,  say  they, 
as  the  sufferings  of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation 
also  aboundeth  by  Christ.  And  they  assure  all  believers,  that 
the  same  consolation  shall  be  enjoyed  by  them,  in  the  endu- 
ring of  the  same  sufferings. 

Many,  by  means  of  some  motions  they  say  they  have  found 
in  their  hearts,  are  fond  to  advance  their  claim  to  the  same 
consolation  with  the  apostles,  while  yet  they  feel  no  inclina- 
tion to  walk  in  their  footsteps.  Many  are  proud  to  join  in 
the  triumph,  who  have  no  taste  for  the  warfare.  The  apos- 
tles found  it  necessary  to  repel  the  too  forward  pretensions  of 
many  such  men,  even  in  their  own  days.  What,  then,  shall 
we  say  of  those  pretenders  to  the  apostolic  consolation,  whose 
very  profession  of  Christianity,  instead  of  being  any  loss  to 
them,  spreads  their  reputation  for  piety,  and  procures  them 
esteem  and  reverence  from  the  world  ? 

In  latter  times,  not  a  few  have,  from  the  hand  of  church- 
authority,  supported  by  secular  power,  endured  the  same  suf- 
ferings which  the  apostles  met  with  from  the  Jews  and  Ro- 
mans, and  accordingly  enjoyed  the  same  consolation.  It  was 
very  natural  for  such  of  them  as  were  writers,  to  commend 
the  faith,  which  thus  wrought  by  love,  and  was  accordingly 
crowned  with  remarkable  consolation,  in  opposition  to  the 
dead,  fruitless,  and  comfortless  faith  of  their  adversaries. 

What  if  some  of  these,  who,  in  the  course  of  their  suffexing 


LET.  v.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  341 

for  Christ,  were  assured  of  their  being  his  friends,  having  their 
eye  chiefly  on  what  they  then  experienced,  unwarily  supposed, 
that  this  assurance  was  in  the  nature  of  saving  faith  1  What  if, 
after  having,  at  the  risk  of  all  that  was  dear  to  them  in  the 
world,  maintained  the  work  of  Christ  to  be  the  sole  requisite  to 
justification,  in  proceedingto  discourse  of  faith,  they  often  chose 
to  consider  it|as  a  principle  of  life  and  action ;  and  accord- 
ingly studied  to  distinguish  it  from  counterfeits,  by  describing 
it  in  connection  with  its  genuine  fruits  and  effects,  in  order 
to  guide  professors  of  the  faith  in  their  self  examination  ? — 
And  what  if,  not  having  their  eye  at  once  on  all  the  arts  by 
which  the  truth  might  be  undermined,  they  did  not,  on  every 
occasion,  sufficiently  attend  to  all  the  apostolic  distinctions 
about  faith  ?  What  is  to  be  inferred  from  hence  1  I  say.  Shall 
we  say,  that  these  friends  of  Christ  would  have  approved 
that  assurance  of  an  interest  in  him,  which  men  now  pretend 
to  acquire  by  some  heartwork,  in  a  full  consistency  with  their 
worldly  ease  and  reputation  1 

Would  we  not  consult  their  true  honour  more,  in  presum- 
ing, that,  had  their  lives  been  prolonged,  they  would  have 
proceeded  as  they  began,  searching  the  Scriptures,  and  thence 
arming  themselves,  on  the  right  and  left  hand,  against 
the  various  arts  by  which  they  saw  the  truth  opposed  or  under- 
mined? Yea,  may  we  not  presume,  that  it  would  have 
moved  their  indignation,  to  see  men  more  forward  to  adopt 
and  reverence  their  mistakes  and  inadvertencies,  than  to  imi- 
tate the  spirit  and  temper  which  breathed  in  their  lives?  It 
is  no  new  thing  to  see  the  memory  of  men,  who  have  been 
for  some  time  dead,  through  various  mistakes  and  prejudices 
held  in  veneration  by  the  genuine  offspring  of  those  who 
undervalued  and  opposed  them  when  alive. 

The  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  works  of  Christ  alone, 
did  indeed  lead  many  to  fellowship  with  the  apostles  in  the 
same  sufferings  and  joy.  But  zeal  for  this  doctrine  was  soon 
cooled  in  the  minds  of  many  who  professed  it,  by  being  joined 
together  with  another  kind  of  zeal,  very  different  from  it. — 
Some  eminent  teachers  of  this  doctrine,  led  by  such  mistakes 
about  the  kingdom  of  God  as  Jesus  timeously  checked  in  his 
disciples,  grew  fond  of  drawing  some  form  of  their  doctrine 
over  kingdoms  and  states.  And  we  know,  that  all  zeal  for 
national  reformation,  if  successful,  naturally  tends  to  the 
worldly  advantage  and  honour  of  the  chief  promoters  thereof; 
and  so  to  dazzle  their  eyes  with  the  prosjKCt  of  something 
else,  than  fellowship  with  Christ  in  reward  of  his  suffer- 
ings. 

29* 


342  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  V. 

By  the  time  that  the  famous  controversy  with  Arminus 
arose,  it  appears,  that  many  were  in  readiness  to  take  part 
with  that  learned  opposer  of  the  truth.  And  it  would  seem, 
there  were  but  few  who  opposed  him  on  the  same  footing- 
with  Gomarus,  who  was  chiefly  concerned  about  the  ground 
of  acceptance  with  God,  as  he  understood  it  to  be  affected  by 
that  controversy.  The  greater  part  of  disputants  chose  to 
make  the  controversy  turn  upon  another  hinge,  contending 
about  grace  and  freewill,  and  what  influence  these  had  in  the 
conversion  of  a  sinner.  It  may  be  maintained  by  some,  that 
conversion  is  carried  on  by  grace  assisting  nature ,  and  by 
others,  that  this  matter  is  conducted  wholly  by  irresistible 
grace ;  and  yet  both  sides  may  be  equally  disaffected  to  that 
doctrine,  which  maintains  the  work  finished  by  Christ  on  the 
cross,  to  be  the  only  requisite  to  justification.  The  contro- 
versy about  grace  and  freewill,  as  managed  by  many  on  both 
sides,  has  as  little  to  do  with  the  revealed  ground  of  accep- 
tance with  God,  as  the  philosophical  dispute  about  liberty  and 
necessity.  And  I  may  add,  that  while  many  Christian  teach- 
ers maintain,  that  no  man  can  be  eminently  virtuous  without 
Divine  energy,  they  say  no  more  than  heathen  philosophers 
have  said  before  them. 

But  as  I  would  judge  it  highly  impertinent,  so  it  is  far  from 
being  my  design,  to  burden  our  plea  with  the  weight  of  any 
names,  however  venerable,  but  those  of  the  apostles ;  by  whose 
decision  alone  we  must  all  be  tried.  I  only  mention  this 
controversy,  in  order  to  introduce  what  I  have  said  before : 
That 

"  The  consequence  of  this  change  of  the  Arminian  contro- 
versy, from  that  way  wherein  Gomarus  held  it  was  a  great 
alteration  in  the  strain  of  preaching  amongst  the  most  zealous 
Calvinists.  For  in  place  of  free  justification  by  God's  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ's  blood,  much  insisted 
on  by  the  reformers  against  the  Roman  Church,  even  as  it 
had  been  before  by  the  apostles  against  the  Jews  and  Judai- 
zing  Christians,  labouring  more  in  setting  forth  the  revealed 
righteousness  to  be  believed  against  every  thing  opposed  to 
it,  than  in  any  descriptions  of  the  exercise  of  the  mind  and 
heart  in  believing;  they  novv  began  to  insist  much  more  in 
their  sermons  on  free  electing  grace,  but  especially  on  the 
efficacious  power  of  that  grace  in  the  conversion  of  the  elect, 
working  unfeigned  faith  in  them,  and  turning  them  to  God 
in  a  sincere  repentance;  and  when  this  took  the  place  of  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God  by  Christ's  resur- 
rection, as  the  spring  of  Christian  religion,  "it  was  attended 


LET.  v.]  THKRON  AND  ASPA3I0.  343 

with  large  descriptions,  how  a  man  should  find  himself  under 
the  operation  of  that  free  and  efficacious  grace,  callinQ-  him 
effectually,  regenerating-,  and  converting  him  to  receive  Christ 
by  a  true  faith,  and  to  repentance  unto  life  ;  while  the  things 
set  forth  in  these  descriptions  were  not  things  accompanying 
salvation,  like  the  work  and  labour  of  love,  the  fruit  of  faith 
in  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
The  effect  of  this  strain  of  doctrine,  upon  them  that  hearken  to 
it,  was,  their  seeking  peace  with  God,  and  rest  to  their  con- 
sciences, by  what  they  might  feel  in  themselves,  the  motions 
of  their  hearts,  and  the  exercises  of  their  souls,  in  compliance 
with  the  call  to  faith  and  repentance,  under  that  efficacious 
operation  of  grace,  which  they  hoped  to  find  in  using  those 
means,  whereby  they  supposed  it  to  be  conveyed :  or  if  they 
could  persuade  themselves  that  they  had  found  it,  then  they 
looked  on  themselves  as  already  converted,  and  in  a  state  of 
favour  with  God  ;  comforting  themselves  against  the  fears  of 
losing  the  Divine  favour  again,  by  the  inamissibility  of  grace, 
or  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 

"But,  however  different  this  be  from  the  doctrine  of  Ar- 
minus,  concerning  electing  and  converting  gracerand  perse- 
verance ;  yet  it  comes  to  the  very  same  thing  with  him  at 
last,  as  to  the  grand  point  of  the  justification  of  a  sinner  be- 
fore God.  For  whether  the  Pharisee  in  the  parable,  oppo- 
sing himself  to  the  publican,  as  more  fit  for  acceptance,  did 
thank  God  in  whole,  or  in  part,  for  what  he  was  in  distinc- 
tion from  him  and  other  sinners  ;  yet  his  confidence  in  coming 
before  him  for  acceptance,  was  in  what  he  found  himself  to 
be,  and  in  what  he  did,  either  by  the  necessary  assistance  of 
God's  common  grace,  or  by  the  efficacious  operation  of  his 
special  grace,  working  all  in  him  irresistibly.  How  oppo- 
site to  this  is  the  publican's  way  of  coming  before  God,  find- 
ing nothing  about  himself  but  what  makes  him  the  object  of 
the  Divine  abhorrence,  and  having  no  better  thing  to  say  of 
himself,  than  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  so  a  meet  object  for  the 
Divine  mere}'-  and  grace,  justifying  freely  through  the  propi- 
tiation for  sin,  set  forth  to  declare  the  Divine  justice  in  justi- 
fying the  ungodly?  He  has  no  other  ground  of  confidence 
but  that,  in  appearing  before  God,  nor  anything  else  to  en- 
courage him  to  hope  for  his  favour  and  acceptance  with  him. 
And  so  his  address  to  God  is  in  these  words :  God  be  frofi- 
iious  to  me  a  sinner.  Now,  he  ivent  dow?i  to  his  house  justified 
rather  than  the  other !^ 

Let  us  now  make  some  comparison  betwixt  the  assurance 


344  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   V. 

of  the  Divine  favour  enjoyed  by  the  first  Christians,  and  that 
assurance  which  is  contended  for  by  moderns.  The  former 
proceeded  on  the  joy  which  men  found  in  the  simple  truth, 
while  they  obeyed  it  from  the  heart,  and  patiently  suffered 
for  it.  The  Holy  Spirit,  whom  God  gives  to  them  who 
obey  him,  assured  their  hearts,  that  their  joy  was  not  the  joy 
of  the  hypocrite,  but  the  beginning-  of  eternal  life.  And  thus 
their  joy  was  made  full.  Their  love  was  perfected  by  the 
highest  enjoyment  it  was  capable  of  in  this  mortal  state ;  and 
perfect  love,  says  the  Apostle  John,  casteth  out  fear.  The 
modern  assurance  again  proceeds  on  this  principle,  That  the 
simple  truth  believed,  affords  no  joy  nor  comfort.  The  simple 
truth  is  represented  as  comfortless,  in  order  to  show  the  ne- 
cessity of  this  assurance. 

Yet,  however  lightly  some  talk  of  the  bare  persuasion  of 
the  truth,  every  man  who  has  been  thoroughly  pinched  with 
the  impossibility  of  hope  on  every  other  side,  will  find  therein 
a  refreshment  to  his  mind,  far  superior  to  all  the  comforts 
he  ever  tasted  in  life  before.  Will  the  news  of  a  plenteous 
importation  of  corn,  in  the  time  of  famine,  give  joy  to  many 
ready  to  parish,  and  revive  even  the  poorest  with  the  hope 
that  they  may  be  fed?  will  it  give  new  life  to  those  suffering 
shipwreck,  to  hear  that  relief  is  hastening  to  them?  will  the 
inhabitants  of  any  city  rejoice,  in  hearing  that  a  great  and 
liberal  prince  is  to  take  his  residence  among  them  ?  are  men 
greatly  comforted  on  many  such  occasions  in  life,  while  yet 
no  man  knows  certainly  but  his  present  day  may  be  his  last  1 
and  shall  it  give  no  joy  to  rebels  against  the  Sovereign  of  the 
universe,  to  hear  that  it  is  found  consistent  with  the  honour 
of  all  the  laws  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  highest  glory  of  the 
Sovereign,  to  admit  even  the  most  obnoxious  among  them  to 
be  his  friends  and  favourites?  Surely  it  will ;  and  surely  so 
it  has  done  in  all  ages.  Many,  on  hearing  this,  have  become 
quite  ashamed  of  their  former  rebellion  ;  have  been  led  to 
love  the  Sovereign,  and  encouraged  to  do  those  things  that 
are  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  and  have  accordingly  known 
v.'hat  it  was  to  stand  in  his  presence,  and  have  their  joy  made 
full  in  beholding  the  light  of  his  countenance. 

Let  us  now  see  v/hat  this  modern  assurance  is,  that  would 
look  out  of  countenance  the  comfort  arising  from  the  bare 
persuasion  of  the  truth.  If  we  attend  to  the  description  of 
it  given  by  its  friends,  we  shall  find  it  turn  out  to  be  a  doubtful, 
fearful,  and  diffident  assurance.  Its  friends,  indeed,  often  dress 
it  out  to  us  in  a  very  bold  attitude,  and  mark  assurance  on 
its  front.     Bat  we  must  remember,  that  here,  as  almost  every 


LET.  v.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  345 

where  else,  their  doctrine  is  double ;  for  when  they  come  to 
their  secondary  or  more  particular  description  of  it,  it  is  found 
to  be  inwardly  full  of  doubts,  fears,  and  diffidence.  And 
however  diffident  the  convert  be,  he  is  still  supposed  to  be 
possessed  of  some  deg-ree  of  assurance,  provided  he  blame 
himself  for  the  want  of  it.  As  Paul  said  of  his  popular 
antagonists,  Neither  they  themselves  who  are  circumcised  keep 
the  latv ;  but  desire  to  have  you  circumcised,  that  they  may 
glory  in  your  flesh ;  so  it  may  be  said  in  this  case,  Neither 
do  they  who  boast  of  this  assurance,  enjoy  the  favour  of  God  ; 
but  they  would  hereby  allure  men,  that  they  may  glory  in 
having  them  for  their  followers. 

When  we  look  into  the  professions  of  this  assurance,  which 
are  set  before  us  as  genuine  patterns  of  it,  we  shall  be  greatly- 
disappointed,  if  we  expect  to  find  in  them  anything  like  cer- 
tainty, as  to  the  great  point  aimed  at.  The  convert  must 
have  some  preacher  or  devout  friend  to  draw  the  assured 
conclusion  for  him :  yea,  it  would  seem  it  is  scarce  thought 
sufficiently  modest  or  decent  for  him  to  draw  it  boldly  him- 
self. And  indeed  his  conscience,  while  it  retains  any  feeling, 
must  be  a  great  check  to  his  presumption.  However,  people 
are  generally  ready  enough  to  support  one  another  by  mutual 
flattery  in  this  case.  The  profession  of  Neophytus,  formerly 
quoted,  ends  thus:  "  Now,  therefore,  though  I  be  somewhat 
fearful,  yet  am  I  resolved  to  go  unto  Christ;  and  if  I  perish, 
I  perish."  Theron  likewise  complains  to  the  last  of  his 
remissness  and  inactivity  to  draw  the  desired  conclusion  and 
say,  "  O  that  I  may  arise,  and  Avith  the  Divine  assistance 
shake  oif  this  stupor  of  unbelief!"  &c.  The  boasted  assurance, 
then,  as  it  appears  in  the  approved  professions  of  it,  turns  out 
to  be  a  timid  resolve,  joined  with  a  fond  conjecture ;  or  we 
may  say,  it  amounts  to  a  fond  presumptuous  wish,  greatly 
embarrassed  with  doubts  and  difficulties.  However,  the 
teachers  are  ready  not  only  to  sympathize  with  such  converts 
in  their  remissness  to  believe,  but  also  to  assure  them  in  the 
strongest  terms  of  their  eternal  salvation,  because  they  find 
them  willing  to  do  their  best. 

Yet  we  are  not  to  imagine,  that  these  converts,  in  conse- 
quence of  all  this,  proceed,  leading  their  lives  under  an  assu- 
rance or  sense  of  the  Divine  favour.  Yea,  the  teachers,  well 
knowing  that  in  fact  the  case  stands  far  otherwise,  have 
various  expedients  in  readiness  to  keep  them  from  being 
discouraged  under  the  disappointment.  They  distinguish 
betwixt  the  assurance  of  faith,  and  the  assurance  of  sense,  &c. 
But  the  most  notable  expedient  is  their  doctrine  of  desertions ; 


346  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   T. 

accordingf  to  which,  one  of  their  converts  may  live  for  many- 
years  together  under  a  certain  kind  of  assurance,  that  he  is  a 
child  and  favourite  of  God,  and  yet  continue  all  the  while 
without  any  sense  of  his  favour.  For,  according  to  their 
manner  of  allusion  to  the  Scripture,  he  may  continue  twenty 
years  betwixt  one  Bethel-visit  and  another  ;  yea,  he  may  die 
without  enjoying  a  second.  However,  he  always  meant 
well ;  and  so  he  is  pronounced  happy.  What  a  monstrous 
scene  of  iniquity  is  the  popular  doctrine!  what  a  blessing 
were  it  to  many  to  be  undeceived  about  it ! 

I  shall  end  this  postscript  with  observing,  that  when  the 
popular  preachers  can  find  no  other  way  of  showing  their 
contempt  of  the  simple  belief  of  the  truth,  as  the  sole  requisite 
to  justification,  they  call  it  ihe  faith  of  devils.  Yet,  however 
keen  the  intended  reproach  be,  it  can  have  weight  with  none, 
but  those  who  are  swayed  by  sound  instead  of  sense.  For, 
according  to  the  Scripture,  the  same  truth  which  saves  Christ's 
people,  torments  the  devils.  So  we  find  them  saying,  "  What 
have  we  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  God  1  art  thou 
come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time  ?"  They  believe, 
they  hate,  and  yet  they  tremble  at  that  truth  which  Christ's 
people  believe,  love,  and  find  salvation  in.  With  them  are 
ranked  all  those  of  mankind,  who  know  as  much  of  the  truth 
as  inclines  them  to  hate  and  pervert  it,  but  not  so  much  as  to 
make  them  love  and  obey  it  from  the  heart :  for  as  to  all  those 
it  must  be  said,  that  the  spirit  which  conducts  them  blinds 
their  minds,  lest  the  light  of  the  gospel  of  the  glory  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them.  Yet  so 
much  of  the  evidence  of  the  truth  shines  into  the  hearts  of 
many,  as  to  furnish  matter  of  condemnation  to  them,  for  their 
loving  darkness  rather  than  the  light.  In  this  view  the  same 
truth  is  the  savour  of  life  unto  life  unto  some,  and  of  death 
unto  death  unto  others.  In  this  view  the  same  truth  is  the 
object  of  contempt  and  chagrin  to  some,  and  of  love  and  joy 
to  others.  Moreover,  according  to  the  Apostle  James,  let  a 
man  make  ever  so  sound  a  profession  of  the  faith,  and  talk 
of  ever  so  many  illuminations  and  experiences,  if  we  find 
him  seeking  to  pass  these  upon  us  as  proofs  of  his  being  a 
Christian,  without  showing  his  fliilh  in  the  works  of  love 
commanded  by  Jesus  Christ,  we  may  safely  repel  his  con- 
fidence, by  telling  him,  The  devils  also  believe.  We  ought, 
then,  to  keep  our  eye  on  the  Scripture,  when  we  hear  the 
popular  preachers  charging  others  with  the  faith  of  devils 
and  reprobates,  lest  in  agreeing  with  them,  we  be  found 
despising  the  most  holy  faith,  and  at  the  same  time  obnoxious 


LET.  VI.J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  347 

to  the  awful  censure  of  the  Apostle  James ;  for  their  acts  of 
faith  serve  equally  to  set  aside  the  precious  faith  of  the  apos- 
tles, and  the  works  of  love,  by  which  that  faith  is  evidenced 
and  perfected. 


LETTER    VI. 

Dear  Sir, 

It  is  time  that  I  should  now,  in  my  turn,  contend  for  acts 
of  faith  properly  so  called  ;  I  mean  those  works  which  Jesus 
Christ,  in  his  new  commandment,  enjoins  all  who  believe  on 
him  for  righteousness,  and  by  which  he  would  have  them 
known  to  one  another,  and  to  all  men  for  his  disciples.  And 
I  the  rather  hope  for  your  favourable  attention  on  this  subject, 
as  I  have  some  reason  to  presume  that  you  have  got  your 
bias  to  the  popular  doctrine,  more  from  a  certain  air  of  piety 
running  through  some  books,  than  by  observing  the  avowed 
temper  and  conduct  of  those  who  are  most  influenced  by  it. 

We  are  now,  then,  to  consider  faith  as  a  principle  of  life  and 
action.  And  here  we  must  carefully  distinguish  betwixt  all 
works  by  which  men  would  pretend  to  acquire  faith,  and  those 
which  taith  produces  :  for  if  we  will  contend,  that  justification 
comes  by  faith  without  works,  and  that  there  is  no  acceptable 
w^orking  but  what  follows  upon  this,  and  yet  maintain  that 
faith  is  acquired  by  works,  we  undoubtedly  reason  in  a  circle  ; 
and  the  justification  thus  obtained  may  justly  wear  the  motto, 
Sequiiurque  sequcntem*  And,  however  seriously  and  de- 
voutly we  may  be  occupied  in  this  kind  of  reasoning,  it  is 
evident  that  we  are  employed  in  nothing  else  but  solemn 
trick  and  dissimulation ;  unless  it  may  be  pled  in  our  behalf, 
that  we  are  imposing  on  ourselves  by  the  same  means  by 
which  we  impose  upon  others. 

Men  are  justified  by  the  knowledge  of  a  righteousness 
finished  in  the  days  of  Tiberius ;  and  this  knowledge  operates 
upon  them,  and  leads  them  to  work  rigliteousness.  "  If  ye 
know"  says  the  Apostle  John,  "that  he  is  righteous,  ye  know 

*  It  follows  its  followers. 


348  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

that  every  one  that  doth  righteousness  is  born  of  him."  Faith 
is  not  acquired,  but  is  obtained  as  Peter  says,  {roi^  Xa^ovto )  to 
them  who  have  obtained  bv  lot  like  precious  faith  with  us. 
Of  two  criminals  justly  condemned  to  die,  if  one  escapes  by 
a  favourable  throw  of  the  dice,  and  the  other  dies  for  his  crime, 
we  see  mercy  in  the  deliverance  of  the  former,  and  no  injustice 
in  the  death  of  the  latter.  Two  men  may  be  employed  with 
equal  diligence  in  studying  the  Scripture,  and  with  equal 
seriousness  in  praying  for  Divine  assistance ;  the  one  may 
come  to  know  the  truth,  and  the  other  may  grope  in  the  dark 
all  his  lifetime.  But  he  who  comes  to  know  it,  plainly  per- 
ceives that  he  has  found  what  he  was  not  seeking  after.  He 
plainly  sees,  that,  instead  of  having  taken  "the  direct  and 
certain  way  to  obtain  substantial  comfort,"  his  most  serious 
devotion  was  pointed  in  direct  opposition  to  what  now  comforts 
him:  so  the  new  knowledge  he  has  got,  sets  him  to  work  on 
another  plan,  and  furnishes  him  w^ith  quite  other  employment 
than  he  was  formerly  engaged  in.  God  brings  men  to  the 
fdith,  without  any  willing  or  doing  of  theirs  ;  yet  he  continues 
to  work  in  them  by  the  faith,  both  to  will  and  to  do.  Unbe- 
lievers obtain  faith  without  working.  Believers  work  to- 
gether with  God. 

The  sacred  truth,  which  the  apostles  declared  as  the  import 
of  the  ancient  prophecies,  implied  not  only  that  Christ  was 
to  be  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  believed  on  in  the  world  ; 
but  also  that  men  would  obey  him,  and  accordingly  have 
their  joy  made  full ;  and  so,  by  way  of  earnest  and  foretaste, 
receive  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 
In  both  these  respects  the  Holy  Spirit  bears  witness  unto  the 
truth.  He  bears  witness  to  the  truth  when  he  persuades  men 
to  believe  it;  and  he  bears  witness  to  its  genuine  effects, 
when  he  comforts  them  who  obey  it.  When  the  apostles 
found  the  gospel  believed  by  any  of  mankind,  they  saw  the 
arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  and  glorified  God  on  that  account; 
because  they  knew  it  was  above  nature  for  any  man  to  take  in 
the  notion  of  Divine  grace  reigning  through  righteousness  to 
save  the  worthless,  or  of  God  appearing  just  in  justifying  the 
ungodly.  Again,  we  find  it  greatly  increased  their  delight, 
and  filled  their  hearts  with  thanksgiving  to  God,  when  they 
found  men  joyfully  practising  the  works  of  self-denied  love. 
In  both  these  respects,  then,  the  gospel  daily  receives  fresh 
confirmation  in  the  eyes  of  all  who  see  it  believed  and  obeyed. 
Thus  the  word  of  life  is  held  forth  in  the  world  for  the 
mutual  confirmation  and  encouragement  of  them  that  believe, 
and  for  awakening  the  attention  of  unbelievers ;  serving  as  a 


LET.    VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  349 

mean  of  Divine  appointment  to  leucl  some  to  the  faith,  and  to 
render  others  inexcusable. 

The  chang^e  made  upon  a  man  by  the  belief  of  the  gospel, 
may  be  thus  illustrated.  When  Lazarus  was  revived  to  tlie 
enjoyment  of  this  mortal  life,  neither  his  will  nor  his  power 
were  concerned  in  the  obtaining  of  life.  Yet  his  life  could 
no  otherwise  be  continued  and  enjoyed,  but  in  his  voluntary 
exercise  of  it.  As  soon  as  he  revived,  the  principle  of  seli- 
preservation,  with  all  its  hopes  and  fears,  behooved  immedi- 
ately to  be  set  in  motion.  No  sooner  was  he  possessed  of 
life,  than  the  active  love  of  it  behooved  to  take  place. 
Accordingly,  no  sooner  does  any  man  know  the  grace  of 
God  in  trutli  than  love  to  it  takes  place  in  his  heart.  Love 
is  the  activity  of  that  life  which  a  man  obtains  by  faith  ;  for 
faith  worketh  by  love.  No  man,  then,  however  sound  his 
profession  of  the  faith  may  be,  can  enjoy  that  life  which  lies 
in  God's  favour,  further  than  he  lov(s  God  and  keeps  his 
commandments.  Let  a  man  talk  like  an  angel  about  the 
things  of  God,  if  he  wants  this  love,  he  is  nothing. 

The  change  made  upon  a  man  by  the  gospel^  is  called 
repentance  unto  life.  The  gospel  is  always  held  forth  as 
the  great  persuasive  argument  to  lead  men  to  repentance. 
So  the  Evangelist  Matthew  informs  us,  that  John  the  Baptist, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  began  to  preach,  saying,  Repent;  for  the 
kingdom  of  hearen  is  at  hand.  Mark  declares  the  same 
thing  in  fewer  words,  Rcptnl  ye,  and,  believe  the  gospeL 
Peter,  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Jews,  says,  Rcpeut  ye 
therefore.  And  Paul  declares,  that  God  now  commandeth 
all  men  every  whore  to  repent  by  the  same  argument.  And 
he  tells  us,  that  the  scope  of  all  his  preaiching  was,  repent- 
ance toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Repentance,  then,  is  the  change  of  a  mans  mind  to  love  the 
truth,  Avhich  always  carries  in  it  a  sense  of  shame  and  regret 
at  his  former  opposition  to  it.  And  he  who  knows  the  truth, 
so  as  to  love  it,  will  daily  lind  occasion  for  repentance,  and 
so  of  having  his  attachment  to  the  truth  increasL^d,  as  findinq; 
his  daily  comfort  depending  upon  it. 

Thus  he  will  be  more  and  more  set  free  from  the  service 
of  sin,  and  engaged  in  that  of  righteousness.  And  it  may  be 
added  here,  that  no  man  can  be  assured  that  his  sins  are  for- 
give n  him,  but  in  as  far  as  he  is  freed  from  the  service  of  sin, 
and  led  to  work  righteousness.  For  we  must  still  maintain, 
that  the  favour  of  God  can  only  be  enjoyed  in  studying  to  do 
those  things  which  are  well  pleasing  in  his  sight.  J  cannot 
30 


350  LETTERS   ON  [LET.  VL 

pretend  to  give  a  similitude  that  will  answer  this  case  in  all 
respects  ,  yet,  we  may  say,  if  a  man  of  low  condition  is  by 
a  royal  patent  ennobled,  and  entitled  to  a  place  in  the  politest 
assemblies,  he  cannot  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  his  promotion,  but 
in  as  far  as  he  loves  and  studies  to  learn  the  manners  suita- 
ble to  his  rank  and  new  company.  If  he  delights  in  the 
honour  conferred  upon  him,  he  will  naturally  be  anxious  to 
improve  his  manners  ;  he  will  regret  his  former  low  breeding, 
he  will  readily  be  touched  with  shame  at  finding  it  so  natu- 
rally recur  upon  him,  and  be  sorry  at  the  difficulty  he  feels 
in  throwing  it  off;  nor  will  his  satisfaction  be  complete,  till 
his  manners  are  formed. 

Moreover,  this  change  gets  likewise  the  name  of  self- 
denial  which  is  commonly  joined  with  other  expressions, 
importing  the  prospect  and  pursuit  of  supernatural  happiness  ; 
as  when  Jesus  calls  men  to  deny  themselves  and  follow  him  ; 
or  when  he  says,  "  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and 
he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it ;  or.  He  that 
loveth  his  life,  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this 
world,  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal."  In  the  common  course 
of  the  world,  we  often  see  men  change  the  objects  of  their 
fond  pursuit,  and  their  conduct  in  life  in  many  respects  greatly 
influenced,  in  consequence  of  some  fresh  intelligence  or  new 
sentiment  they  have  occasionally  received.  But  the  change 
we  speak  of  will  be  best  viewed,  as  contrasted  with  its  oppo- 
site, the  fall  of  man. 

For  if  human  nature  was  at  first  depraved  by  impious 
falsehood,  what  can  be  more  proper  for  restoring  it  than  Di- 
vine truth  ?  Man  had  originally  a  natural  sense  of  dignity, 
as  being  made  to  enjoy  dominion,  in  subjection  to  and  friend- 
ship with  his  Creator.  He  forfeited  his  dignity,  when  his 
sense  of  it  was  corrupted,  or  when  he  entertained  such  a 
notion  of  it  as  emboldened  him  to  throw  off  his  allegiance. 
That  sense  of  dignity,  then,  which  still  remains  with  men, 
and  encourages  them  in  disobeying  the  Divine  law,  as  well  as 
despising  the  gospel,  is  deceitful,  being  founded  on  a  lie,  even 
the  lie  originally  instilled,  and  constantly  cherished  in  human 
nature  by  the  father  of  falsehood.  This  lie  is  the  root  of  all 
ungodliness  and  inhumanity;  the  root  of  all  disobedience  to 
God,  and  of  all  the  mutual  hatred  and  variance  among  men. 
Every  man  imagines,  there  is  at  bottom  some  excellency 
about  his  own  self,  on  account  of  which  he  thinks  it  would 
be  a  reflection  against  the  goodness  of  the  Deity,  to  conclude 


LET.   VI.]  THERON   AND   ASPASIO.  351 

that  misery  should  be  the  certain  consequence  of  his  following 
the  bent  of  his  inclinations. 

This  lie  works  by  pride,  even  as  faith  works  by  love. — 
Pride,  with  all  its  subservient  passions,  is  the  exercise  of  that 
life  which  men  live  in  opposition  to  God.  Every  man  che- 
rishes his  favourite  lie,  as  the  dearer  half  of  himself,  and  hates 
every  ray  of  light  that  tends  to  undeceive  him  about  it ;  yea, 
the  very  principle  of  self-preservation  leads  him  to  do  so;  for 
this  lie  being  the  hinge  of  his  pride,  so  the  very  centre  of  his 
life,  he  cannot  part  with  it,  but  at  the  rate  of  falling  headlong 
into  despair  and  death. 

The  gospel  alone  can  comfortably  undeceive  men,  and 
effectually  cut  the  sinews  of  their  pride,  by  bringing  them  a 
report  concerning  foreign  worth,  sufficient  to  entitle  them  to 
a  much  more  glorious  life  than  that  which  was  forfeited  by 
transgression.  He,  then,  who  knows  the  gospel,  so  as  to  love 
it,  may  well  be  said  to  deny  himself,  and  to  lose  or  hate  his 
former  life,  and  to  receive  the  beginning  of  a  better  from  an 
unexpected  quarter. 

But  as  our  constitution  was  framed  for  the  enjoyment  of 
no  other  than  the  forfeited  life,  and  as  the  life  which  comes 
by  faith  is  supernatural,  so  the  Spirit  of  grace,  which  be- 
stows it  by  the  words  of  the  gospel,  must  continue  to  support 
it  against  the  natural  bias.  Hence  arises  the  opposition 
betwixt  nature  depraved  and  grace,  betwixt  the  earthly  and  the 
heavenly  life,  or  betwixt  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  which  Paul 
describes  from  his  own  experience,  Rom.  vii.  Here  he 
makes  a  distinction  in  some  sort  as  betwixt  two  persons.  Yet 
he  plainly  places  his  proper  self,  on  the  side  of  the  supernat- 
ural life,  which  he  preferred,  inclining  to  speak  of  it  in  the 
first  person,  and  of  the  other  in  the  third:  which  last  he  in 
the  strongest  manner,  denies  to  be  life,  and  accordingly  he 
groans  to  be  delivered  from  it,  as  opposing  his  true  happiness. 

The  life-giving  truth  lays  the  only  proper  foundation  among 
men  for  that  love  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  enjoined 
in  these  words,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
For  it  teaches  every  one  to  renounce  his  favourite  distinction, 
by  which  he  secretly  claims  the  superiority  over  his  neigh- 
bour. It  furnishes  all  who  believe  with  one  common  sense 
of  foreign  worth,  one  common  source  of  life  and  joy,  so  leads 
them  to  boast  and  glory  only  in  that  which  abolishes  all  dif- 
ferences among  them.  Thus  it  teaches  them  to  delight  in 
one  another  on  account  of  that  which  is  common  to  them  all, 
by  which  the  pride  of  none  of  them  can  be  flattered,  and 
which  gives  the  precedence  to  none  of  them  above  another. 


352  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

Thus  each  is  taught  to  love  another  as  himself.  Herein  lies 
the  exercise  of  self-denied  love. 

The  Lord's  supper  shows  the  unity  of  Christ's  people,  and 
serves  as  a  notable  occasion  for  their  enjoying  the  comfort  of 
love.  A  company  of  Christ's  disciples  must  come  together  to 
this  ordinance,  finding  nothing,  any  of  them,  to  recommend 
him  to  God,  but  the  sacrifice  of  Christ.  If  any  of  them  come 
to  it,  not  to  say  hating  his  brother,  but  secretly  imaginh}g 
he  has  anything  to  give  him  the  preference  in  God's  favour, 
beyond  any  of  his  fellows  ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  envying  any 
of  them  as  better  qualified  than  himself,  so  repining  at  his  own 
deficiency,  he  cannot  enjoy  the  comfort  of  love.  He  labours 
under  a  mistake  about  the  foundation  of  unity,  and  the  com- 
mon source  of  joy. 

Self-denied  love  is  best  to  be  seen  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  spring 
and  pattern  of  it  to  all  his  people.  He,  having  a  full  and  just 
sense  of  his  natural  dignity  as  God  over  all,  condescended  to 
forego  the  consideration  of  his  dignity,  so  as  to  suffer  the 
extremity  of  infamy  and  pain,  in  the  character  of  the  most 
worthless  and  most  obnoxious,  yea,  from  the  hands  of  such  : 
and  Avhat  crowns  all,  that  he  might  raise  such  to  the  highest 
dignity  and  blessedness  for  ever !  Here  is  self-denial  unpa- 
ralleled. Here  all  the  glory  of  the  blessed  God  is  manifested. 
When  sinful  men  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  so  to 
enter  upon  the  world  of  realities,  they  are  indeed  taught  to 
deny  themselves.  But  what  mighty  self-denial  is  this  ?  Why, 
they  are  taught  to  see  things  as  they  really  are,  to  deny  an 
untruth,  to  part  with  a  favourite  lie,  to  renounce  a  pernicious 
falsehood.  They  are  called  to  fellowship  with  the  Son  of  the 
Highest,  by  his  voice  addressing  them  thus,  "  Learn  of  me  ; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart."  Yet  the  Son  of  God  is 
pleased  to  call  it  self-denial  in  us  thus  to  learn  of  him.  H^e  is 
pleased  to  call  it  conformity  to  and  imitation  of  himself,  and 
to  connect  with  it  a  great  reward  in  heaven.  What  a  great 
value  does  he  put  on  our  condescension,  if  it  deserve  to  be 
called  so,  how  little  we  on  his ! 

The  change  made  on  men  by  the  gospel  is  likewise  called 
conversion,  regeneration,  new  creation,  ox  the  nciv  creature; 
"putting  ofl"  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,  and  putting  on  the 
new  man ;  walking  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit,"  &c. 
But  whatever  name  be  given  in  Scripturetothischange,noman 
can  warrantable  say,  he  has  undergone  it  on  account  of  any  im- 
pressions or  motions  whatsoever  he  has  found  in  his  heart ;  for 
great  illuminations  may  take  place,  and  j^et  not  accompany 


LET.   VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASTO.  353 

salvatiou.  Yea,  even  as  to  all  the  genuine  effects  and  proofs 
of  faith,  we  must  still  say  with  Peter,  "  If  these  things  be  in 
you  and  abound,  they  make  you  that  ye  shall  neither  be  bar- 
ren nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
But  he  that  lacketh  these  things,  is  blind  and  cannot  see  afar 
off,  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged  from  his  old  sins. 
Wherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  diligence  to  make  your 
calling  and  election  sure ;  for  if  ye  do  these  things  ye  shall 
never  fall,"  &c.  Jesus,  who  had  connected  blessedness  vvith 
the  good  profession  his  disciples  had  made  of  the  faith,  after- 
wards, on  the  appearance  of  their  pride,  addresses  them  in  this 
manner  :  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted,  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  ?iot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaveyi.  Therefore,  they  who  have  made  the  best  profession 
of  the  faith,  are  still  to  be  called  to  repentance,  still  to  be  put 
in  mind  of  the  necessity  of  conversion.  The  apostles  them- 
selves could  have  no  further  evidence  that  they  belonged  to 
Christ,  than  as  they  were  daily  influenced  by  the  same  temper 
of  mind  that  appeared  in  him. 

When  once  the  saving  truth  is  admitted  in  the  conscience 
of  any  man,  it  becomes,  as  it  were,  a  new  inslinct  in  him, 
encouraging  him  to  draw  near  to  God,  providing  him  with 
an  answer  to  the  condemning  voice  of  the  law,  which  haunted 
his  conscience  before,  and  opposing  the  natural  pride  of  his 
heart,  in  the  exercise  of  which  he  formerly  lived.  By  this 
instinct,  he  is  led  to  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that 
he  may  grow  thereby.  And  he  arrives  at  the  proper  con- 
sciousness and  enjoyment  of  life,  when  he  comes  to  fuU  age, 
"  and  by  reason  of  use,  has  his  senses  exercised  to  discern  both 
good  and  evil.  All  the  exhortations,  commands,  and  institu- 
tions of  the  gospel,  are  directed  to  consciences  endued  with 
this  instinct,  and  are,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  adapted  for  the 
service  thereof.  So  the  Apostle  John,  recommending  the  new 
commandment  of  mutual  love  among  Christians,  says,  I  have 
not  written  unto  you,  because  ye  know  not  the  truth,  but 
because  ye  know  it,  and  that  no  lie  is  of  the  truth.  The 
whole  Christian  church  order  was  framed  for  cherishing  this 
instinct.  By  this  Christians  know  and  love  one  another. 
And  it  is  their  business,  in  all  their  assemblies,  to  fortify  one 
another  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  the  truth,  in  opposition 
to  every  lie,  or  lest  any  of  them  be  hardened  through  the  deceit-, 
fulness  of  sin. 

The  truth  of  the  gospel  is  always  the  great  argument  oi\ 
which  every  call  to  working  and  doing  proceeds.      Here,  then^ 
let  all  the  passages  of  Scripture  which  call  for  any  activity  on 
30* 


354  LETTERS  OS  [LET.  VI. 

our  part,  have  their  force.  And  let  us  no  more  be  blindfolded 
with  the  notion  of  some  ambiguous  endeavouring  and  work- 
ing, or  labouring  to  exert  acts,  which  are  denied  to  be  proper 
works  required  by  the  Divine  lau'.  Here,  I  say,  let  all  these 
commands  have  their  full  and  proper  force  ;  "  Strive  to  enter 
in  at  the  straight  gate,  (fee.  Let  us  labour,  therefore,  to  enter 
into  that  rest,  &c.  Work  out  your  own  salvation,"  &c.  The 
apostles  deduce  every  motive  to  obedience  from  the  truth.  If 
they  call  men  to  liberality  in  almsgiving,  they  remind  them 
of  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  though  he  was 
rich,  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be 
enriched.  If  they  exhort  them  to  mutual  forgiveness,  they 
remind  them  of  the  Divine  forgiveness  for  Christ's  soke.  In 
short,  they  enforce  their  exhortations  to  every  deed  of  self- 
denied  love,  by  some  consideration  drawn  from  the  Divine 
love,  as  manifested  in  Christ  Jesus. 

If  there  were  no  counterfeits  of  the  truth,  so  neither  of  faith  ; 
and  if  every  man  spoke  as  he  thought,  then  so  soon  as  any 
man  made  the  Christian  profession,  he  might  be  assured  of 
his  eternal  salvation  ;  seeing  it  must  still  stand  true,  that  "  he 
that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned."  But  the  case  is  far  otherwise:  therefore  every 
man  must  examine  himself,  and  prove  his  own  w^ork,  that  he 
may  have  rejoicing  in  himself  alone,  and  not  in  the  friendly 
esteem  which  his  brother  is  bound  to  have  for  him. 

Men  may  be  employed  m  the  same  actions,  professing  the 
same  principles,  and  yet  be  influenced  by  very  different 
motives.  Paul  says,  "  What  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a 
man,  save  the  spirit  of  a  man  which  is  in  him  ?"  that  is,  how^ever 
narrowly  I  may  observe  the  conduct  of  another  man,  I  may 
be  mistaken  about  his  secret  intention  and  leading  design. 

Every  man's  own  conscience  is  best  judge  of  the  secrtt  spring 
of  his  actions.  Now,  the  Apostle  John,  speaking  of  obedience 
to  the  new  commandment  of  love,  says,  "  Beloved,  if  our 
heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  toward  God  ;" 
that  is,  if,  notwithstanding  our  natural  bias  against  the  gospel, 
with  its  remaining  effects  giving  us  daily  disquiet,  our  heart 
condemn  us  not  as  destitute  of  love  to  that  truth  which  the 
world  hates,  then  have  we  confidence  toward  God,  even  ns 
much  confidence  as  the  testimony  of  our  own  conscience  can 
give  us.  For  we  are  here  supposed  to  judge  of  ourselves, 
not  by  the  good  opinion  others  have  of  us,  but  by  the  sober 
verdict  of  our  own  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.  Such  a 
testimony  of  one's  own  conscience  must  give  no  small  confi- 
dence.    Yet  this  is  but  one  witness,  and  needs  to  be  supported. 


LKT.    VI.]  TIIEROX    AND    ASPaSIO.  355 

For  ill  this  case  one  may  be  linble  to  doubts,  lest  even  his  own 
conscience  should  be  partial  in  his  favour. 

Here,  then,  the  Spirit  of  the  truth,  who  never  fails  to  bear 
witness  to  the  genuine  efiects  thereof,  gives  his  testimony  as 
a  second  witness  supporting  the  former.  Thus  Paul,  after 
he  had  said,  "As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they 
are  the  sons  of  God;"  adds,  "The  Spirit  itself  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God."  And 
this  he  does,  by  shedding  abroad  in  the  heart  such  an  abun- 
dant sense  of  the  Divine  love,  as  leaves  no  room  for,  so 
casts  out,  the  anxious  fear  of  coming  short  of  life  everlasting. 
Thus  that  love  to  the  truth,  which  formerly  wrought  in  the 
way  of  paintul  desire,  attended  with  many  fears,  is  perfected 
by  being  crowned  with  the  highest  enjoj-ment  it  is  capable  of 
in  this  mortal  state.  So  this  "  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear, 
because  fear  hath  torment ;  whereas,  he  that  feareth  is  not 
made  perfect  in  love." 

Jesus  Ciirist,  who  loved  his  father  with  a  perfect  heart, 
even  while  sorrowful  unto  death,  received  the  highest  proof 
of  his  being  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  when  being  exalted  at 
the  Father's  right  hand,  and  being  made  most  blessed  with 
the  sense  of  his  love,  he  experienced  fulness  of  joy  in  his 
presence.  The  report  of  this  draws  them  who  believe  it  to 
love  him,  and  suffer  for  his  sake.  To  such  Jesus  Christ 
promised  fellowship  with  him  in  his  fulness  of  joy :  John 
XV,  10,  11;  "  If  ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide 
in  my  love,  even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments, 
and  abide  in  his  love.  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto 
you,  that  my  joy  might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy 
might  be  full."  Now,  they  who  partake  of  this  joy,  receive 
the  highest  evidence  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  beloved  Son 
of  God.  They  know,  that  he  is  the  Christ,  or  anointed  with 
the  oil  of  joy  and  gladness,  by  partaking  with  him  in  the 
same  anointing.  Thus,  their  faith  is  greatly  confirmed,  or 
rather  perfected,  by  a  kind  of  presence  of  its  object;  thus  their 
love  is  joyfully  inflamed  ;  and  thus  they  obtain  the  assurance 
of  hope,  by  having  in  thernselvrs  an  experimental  foretaste 
of  what  will  be  their  eternal  enjoyment.  The  assurance  of 
faith,  then,  arises  from  the  evidence  carried  in  the  Divine 
testimony  to  the  consciences  of  the  ungodly  :  the  assurance 
of  hope  arises  from  experience  in  the  hearts  of  them  that 
love  God,  and  keep  his  commandments. 

The  difference  betwixt  faith  and  experience  is  often  pointed 
out  in  the  New  Testament;  John  vjii,  31,  32,   "Then  said 


356  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

Jesus  to  those  Jews  who  believed  on  him,  If  ye  continue  in 
my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed,  and  ye  shall 
know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free."  They 
already  believed,  so  had  that  assured  knowledge  of  the  truth 
which  arises  from  the  evidence  of  report  or  testimony.  But 
Jesus  gives  them  to  understand,  that  in  their  continuing  in 
his  word,  it  would  be  manifest  they  were  his  disciples  in- 
deed;  and  they  should  receive  an  experimental  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  by  enjoying  the  freedom  of  children  in  the 
family  of  God.  Jesus  Christ  calls  all  who  believe  on  him 
to  follow  him  in  patient  suffering  for  his  sake,  and  he  pro- 
mises to  comfort  them  in  so  doing.  Speaking  of  the  comforts 
he  will  bestow,  he  says,  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto 
you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall 
have  tribulation;  but  be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome  the 
world." 

It  is  evident,  then,  that  they  who,  depending  on  the  pro- 
mise of  Christ,  run  all  hazards  for  his  sake,  and  accordingly 
enjoy  the  promised  comfort,  must,  by  means  of  this  experi- 
ence, have  their  joy  and  confidence  in  the  truth  greatly  en- 
larged. They  now  find  by  experience  the  truth  of  what 
they  formerly  believed  on  testimony.  They  know  their 
connection  with  Christ,  and  so  have  the  assured  hope  of 
reigning  together  with  him. 

Paul,  declaring  how  Christians  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God,  and  even  glory  in  tribulations,  describes  the  matter 
thus :  "  Tribulation  worketh  patience,  and  patience  experi- 
ence, and  experience  hope,  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed, 
because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us."  When  Abraham  be- 
lieved God,  and  that  which  he  believed  was  imputed  to  him 
for  righteousness,  he  had  the  assurance  of  faith,  before  it  was 
put  to  the  great  trial  of  offering  up  his  son.  But  in  this  trial 
he  obtained  a  kind  of  sight  of  what  he  believed  and  hoped 
for.  He  saw  the  day  of  Christ,  and  was  glad.  He  saw  in  a 
figure,  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ.  So  the  Apostle 
James  says,  "  Seest  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  works, 
and  by  works  was  faith  made  perfect?  And  the  Scripture 
was  fulfilled,  which  saith,  Abraham  believed  God,  audit  was 
imputed  to  him  for  righteousness ;  and  he  was  called  the 
friend  of  God."  The  same  Apostle  likewise  says,  "  The 
trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience ;  but  let  patience  have 
her  perfect  work,  that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting 
nothing. 

The  assurance  of  hope,  then,  is  founded  on  experience  of 


LFT.  VI.]  TIIERON   AND   ASPASIO.  357 

the  love  of  God,  and  always  holds  pace  with  it ;  wcu  as 
that  experience  is  founded  on  the  self-denied  labour  of 
charity,  and  always  holds  pace  with  it ;  and  I  may  add, 
even  as  the  self-denied  labour  of  charity  is  foundfd  on  the 
simple  belief  of  the  truth,  and  always  holds  pace  with  it. 
So  that,  if  either  more  or  less  than  the  simple  truth  of  the 
gospel  be  admitted  in  tb.e  heart  of  any  man  as  the  groiuid  of 
acceptance  with  God,  if  either  more  or  less  than  the  bare  per- 
suasion of  the  truth  be  admitted  as  requisite  to  justification, 
the  whole  superstructure  of  the  Christian  practice  and  con- 
solation is  effectually  undermined  and  overthrown.  Neither 
more  nor  less  than  the  bare  persuasion  of  the  truth  can  give 
birth  to  the  genuine  works  of  love;  and  to  these  alone  the 
Holy  Ghost  bears  witness  as  the  Comforter. 

The  Scripture  always  maintains  the  connection  of  these 
things.  So  Paul,  "  Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is 
charit}^,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and 
of  faith  unfeigned."  The  simple  truth  alone  can  quiet  the 
sense  of  guilt,  and  furnish  a  man  with  the  answer  of  a  good 
conscience  toward  God,  or  give  that  perfection  of  the  con- 
science which  the  same  Apostle  says  could  not  be  obtained 
by  the  legal  sacrifices.  And  thus  alone  the  heart  is  purified 
from  evil  affections,  and  fitted  for  abounding  in  the  work  of 
charity.  They  alone,  who  being  led  by  the  evidence  of  the 
truth  to  submit  to  it,  so  had  their  hearts  purified,  not  only  by 
a  taste  of  forgiveness  for  past  offences,  but  also  by  the  prospect 
of  greater  objects  for  interesting  their  affections  than  those 
which  influence  worldly  lusts:  they  alone,  I  say,  were  fit  to 
perceive  the  force  of  the  apostolic  exhortations  to  abound  in 
charity.  So  Peter  say.-?,  "  Seeing  ye  havu  purified  your  souls 
in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit  unto  unfeigned  love 
of  the  brethren,  see  that  ye  love  one  another  with  a  pure 
heart  fervently." 

The  greatest  saints  on  earth,  when  disquieted  with  the 
sense  of  guilt,  or  fear  of  condemnation,  can  no  otherwise  find 
relief,  but  by  the  same  truth  that  relieved  them  at  first  when 
sitting  in  darkness,  and  under  the  shadow  of  death:  even  the 
same  truth  tliat  relieved  the  thief  on  the  cross.  When  Paul 
was  in  distress  of  mind,  he  heard  nothing  from  Jesus  Christ 
to  relieve  him,  but  these  words,  "My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee:  for  my  strtngth  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  And 
])y  thf  se  words  he  was  relieved  effectually.  When  John,  in 
t!ie  Isle  Patmos,  was  ready  to  die  for  f'ar,  on  having  a  vision 
of  the  Divine  glory,  Jtsus  Christ  did  not  comfort  him  by 
r.-minding  him  of  his  apostolic  labours,  of  his  being  the 


358  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

beloved  disciple,  nor  of  his  presently  suffering  banishment 
for  his  sake  ;  but  he  said  unto  him,  "Fear  not:  I  am  the  first 
and  the  last ;  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead,  and  behold  I 
am  alive  for  evermore,"  *fec.  He  encouraged  him,  by- 
reminding  him  of  the  same  truth  which  encourages  the 
worst  of  mankind  when  they  first  understand  it. 

The  greatest  saint  cannot  be  relieved  from  the  pain  occa- 
sioned by  the  conviction  of  sin,  by  imagining  there  is  any- 
thing about  him  on  account  of  which  it  becomes  God  more 
readily  to  forgive  him  than  the  most  profane  of  mankind. 
Yea,  nothing  can  be  more  opposite  to  every  degree  of  reli- 
gious pride,  than  the  assurance  of  hope  itself;  for  it  proceeds 
on  the  consciousness  of  loving  from  the  heart  that  very  truth 
which  asserts  the  Divine  sovereignty  in  the  strongest  manner, 
and  sets  at  nought  every  distinction  on  account  of  which  any 
one  of  mankind  can  glory  over  another. 

No  man,  then,  by  enjoying  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  Com- 
forter, can  find  any  ground  for  being  less  afraid  of  sinning, 
or  of  its  consequences,  than  he  was  before ;  for  he  no  sooner 
indulges  an  evil  affection,  or  any  thought  opposite  to  charity, 
than  he  loses  that  enjoyment.  Paul  supposes  that  men  who 
have  tasted  of  this  enjoyment,  may,  by  indulging  the  passions 
opposite  to  charity,  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  lose  that 
enjoyment.  So  he  says,  Eph.  iv,  30,  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
redemption."  They  who  thus  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  must 
find  mercy  and  forgiveness  in  the  same  way  as  at  the  first. 
And  their  love  must  be  left  to  work  in  the  w'ay  of  painful 
desire  and  fear,  till  it  be  again  crowned  with  enjoyment  and 
so  perfected. 

No  confessor  of  the  Christian  faith  can  find  any  ground 
in  the  Scripture  to  think,  with  the  popular  doctrine,  that  his 
sins  are  less  displeasing  to  God  than  those  of  other  men ; 
that  they  expose  him  less  to  the  Divine  wrath,  or  make  him 
less  obnoxious  to  the  curse  of  that  law  which  saith,  "  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  rhcm."  If  an}"  man  imagines,  on  ac- 
count of  some  acts  of  foith  he  has  exerted,  that  his  sins  expose 
him  only  to  some  fatherly  chastisements  in  this  life,  and  not 
to  the  curse  of  the  Divine  law,  and  the  wrath  to  come,  he  is 
ignorant  both  of  the  gospel  and  of  the  true  God.  A  believer 
can  find  ease  to  his  guilty  conscience  only  by  that  truth  which 
relieves  the  most  openly  profane.  If  he  seek  it  any  other 
way,  he  ceases  to  be  a  believer  ;  or  rather  it  appears  he  never 
was  one,  however  just  a  title  he  had  to  the  name  from  others. 


LET.   VI.]  TIIERON  AND   ASPASIO.  359 

The  language  of  Christians  runs  thus:  "Wherefore,  we 
receiving  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved,  let  us  hold  the 
grace  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably,  with  reve- 
rence and  godly  fear  ;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  Not 
according  to  the  jargon  of  the  popular  doctrine,  "A  God  out 
of  Christ  is  a  consuming  fire  to  all  the  workers  of  iniquity," 
or  those  deemed  the  unconverted.  For  Christians  are  at  full 
liberty  to  deny  that  there  is  any  such  God,  as  also  the  Abso- 
lute God  much  talked  of  in  sermons. 

The  assurance  of  hope  is  obtained  by  means  very  opposite 
to  those  prescribed  by  the  popular  doctrine  for  the  improve- 
ment of  its  votaries.  When  the  saving  truth  first  shines  into 
the  hearts  of  men,  the  effect  is  suitable  to  the  Divine  promise, 
Jer.  xxxii,  40,  /  will  put  my  fear  in  their  h*>.arts,  that  they 
shall  not  depart  from  me.  This  fear  dwelling  in  their  hearts, 
checks  and  recalls  them  when  ready  to  be  utterly  led  away 
by  their  former  evil  inclinations.  They  are  preserved  from 
falling  away,  by  the  fear  of  falling  away.  Paul  says  to  the 
Hebrews,  "  Let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  of  entering 
into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it." — 
Yea,  he  says  of  himself,  "  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring 
it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached 
the  gospel  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast-away."  Thus 
they  that  believe  come  to  be  settled  in  the  assurance  of  hope. 
Accordingly,  Peter  prays  for  the  Christians  he  Avrites  to, 
"  But  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us  unto  his  eter- 
nal glory  by  Jesus  Christ,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  awhile, 
make  you  perfect,  stablish,  strengthen,  settle  you." 

From  the  passages  of  Scripture  we  have  been  considering, 
it  is  evident,  that  to  have  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  Comforter, 
and  earnest  of  the  heavenly  inheritance,  is  an  attainment  far 
beyond  any  influences  of  the  Spirit  that  are  common  to  those 
who  believe  for  a  time,  and  those  who  believe  to  the  saving 
of  the  soul ;  yea,  beyond  the  regenerating  work  of  the  Spirit 
by  which  men  are  at  first  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  taught  to  love  it.  So  it  must  be  distinguished 
from  any  joy  or  spiritual  delight  which  necessarily  attends 
the  obtaining  of  faith,  or  its  beginning  to  work  by  love:  because 
it  presupposf'S  the  work  and  labour  of  love,  and  the  testimony 
of  our  conscience,  that  love  is  the  spring  of  our  work  and 
labour. — Hence,  also,  we  see,  that  it  is  vain  and  absurd  to 
call  men  to  be  assured  of  their  being  the  children  of  God, 
when  they  are  not  enjoying  his  Spirit  as  the  Comforter,  and 
much  more  so  when  their  faith  is  not  working  by  love. — It 
is  likewise  evident,  that  it  cannot  further  appear  that  any  man 


360  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

has  known  the  grace  of  God  in  truth,  than  he  is  led  by  that 
kiiowleJge  to  give  all  diligence  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope 
unto  the  tnd. — It  is  also  plain,  that  the  promise  of  the  Spirit, 
as  the  Cornfort«'r,  is  common  to  all  those  who  follow  the  faith 
and  practice  of  the  apostles,  even  as  it  was  uniformly  enjoyed 
by  all  who  walked  in  their  footsteps  at  the  beginning. 

Befoie  we  go  further,  the  substance  of  what  has  been  said 
may  be  thus  shortly  summed  up.  The  gospel  presents  a 
faithful  testimony  to  be  believed,  exhibiting  an  amiable  object 
to  be  loved,  and  good  things  to  come  to  be  hoped  for.  Faith, 
then,  respects  the  truth  of  the  testimony,  love  what  is  amiable 
in  it,  and  hope  the  good  things  in  prospect. — Faith  comes  by 
the  evidence  of  testimony,  and  the  as.surance  of  hope  through 
faith  working  by  love,  to  which  the  Holy  Spirit  never  fails 
to  bear  witness  as  the  Comforter. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  observe,  that  every  claim  to 
peculiar  relation  to  God,  that  rests  not  on  the  Spirit  bearing 
witness  as  the  Comforter  to  the  work  and  labour  of  love, 
serves  not  only  to  slacken  our  diligence  in  that  work  and 
labour,  but  also  to  feed  our  natural  pride,  which  may  be 
more  exquisitely  gratified  in  the  religious  way  than  in  any 
other ;  and  so  to  strengthen  our  inclinations  to  all  the  lusts 
of  the  world.  Men  may  make  as  many  bold  assertions,  and 
urge  as  many  confident  questions  as  they  please,  in  favour  of 
any  such  claim  ;  but  it  is  very  easy  to  find  an  answer  to 
them.  In  Dial.  14,  vol.  2,  p.  270,  Aspasio,  speaking  of  his 
appropriating  faith,  says, — "  Then  let  me  ask.  Will  this 
alieiiale.  your  aflfections  from  your  almighty  benefactor  ! 
Will  this  irritate  evil  concupiscence,  or  send  you  to  carnal 
gratifications  in  quest  of  happiness  1  Quite  the  reverse. 
When  this  faith  is  wrought  in  your  heart,  nothing  will  be  so 
powerful  to  produce  holy  love  and  willing  obedience  ;  to 
exalt  your  desires,  and  enable  you  to  overcome  the  world." 

Here  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  say  in  my  turn,  tiUiTE 
THE  REVERSE.  And,  accordingly,  the  case  will  appear  if 
we  attend  to  matter  of  fact.  The  experiment  has  already 
been  tried  in  the  most  advantageous  manner  ;  and  the  effects 
are  recorded  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of 
the  world  are  come.  Were  not  the  Jews  very  confident  of 
their  peculiar  relation  to  God  as  his  children,  and  full  of  the 
fondest  expectations  from  their  Messiah  1  But  what  was  the 
resuk?  Jesus  tells  us,  Now  have  they  both  seen  and  hated 
both  me  and  my  Father.  The  appropriating  claim  was  in 
some  degree  common  to  the  whole  nation,  but  it  was  much 


LET.   V.J  THF.RON  AND  ASI'ASIO.  361 

improved  and  carried  to  a  great  height  by  the  leaders  in 
devotion,  who  looked  on  the  more  ignorant  and  profane  part 
of  the  people  as  accursed.  The  more  refined  appropriation 
served  indeed  to  form  many  such  eminent  characters  as  the 
world  admire ;  yea,  generally  speaking,  its  votaries  Avere 
justly  respected  for  having  greater  regularity  of  life  than 
their  fishionible  opponents,  the  philosophical  reasoners,  and 
accordingly  had  the  designation  of  the  strictest  sect.  Yet  so 
the  fact  turned  out;  the  more  men  excelled  in  this  way, 
they  proved  the  more  hardened  enemies  to  the  true  God, 
and  the  eternal  happiness  of  mankind. 

We  may  easily  see  their  appropriation  imitated  in  its  several 
degrees  in  our  own  age.  Is  there  any  sentiment  more  com- 
monly indulged  among  ns,  than,  when  we  think  on  the  wide 
extent  of  Pagan  darkness,  Jewish  obstinacy,  the  delusions  of 
Mahomet,  and  superstitions  of  Popery,  to  reflect  with  no 
small  self-applause  that  we  are  Christians*  and  Protestants* 
so  at  least  in  some  better  terms  with  the  Deity  than  multitudes 
of  our  deluded  fellow-creatures,  whom  we  look  down  upon 
with  a  sort  of  contemptuous  pity  ?  Moreover,  what  an  impor- 
tant sound  do  we  hear,  when  one  acquaints  us,  that  he  has  the 
honour  to  be  a  member  or  minister  of  the  Church  of  England, 
by  law  established,  or  of  some  other  church  reformed  after 
the  best  pattern  ? 

But,  more  particularly,  it  is  common  with  popular  preachers 
to  encourage  their  hearers  to  make  the  more  refined  appro- 
priation, by  reminding  them,  that  they  have  already  some 
peculiar  relation  to  (iod,  as  having  been  devoted  to  him  in 


*  111  the  zealous  oppositicjii  shown  to  tlie  Jew-bill,  it  evidently  appeared 
how  much  we  arc  influenced  by  the  nati(njal  pride  of  our  Christian 
character,  and  that  we  have  thoroughly  imbibed  tlie  same  temper  of 
mind  for  which  the  Jews  were  remarkable  in  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
But  why  should  this  good  Christian  nation  be  so  much  disgusted  at  Jews, 
seeing  we  differ  from  them  only  in  a  lew  circumstances  about  time  and 
l}lace  ?  Our  leadijigsentimcMits  a!i(t  theirs  at  this  day  arc  much  the  same, 
us  the  great  majority  of  i)ulpits  throughout  the  island  can  weekly  bear 
witness :  let  tlie  doctrine  delivered  from  them  be  only  compared  with 
the  printed  sermon  given  us  last  year  by  Isaac  Nelto,the  Jewish  Doctor. 
Yea,  the  Jews  to  this  day,  notwithstanding  the  many  rubs  and  disap- 
pointments they  have  met  with,  still  persist  in  exerting  as  vigorously  as 
the  most  forv.-ard  among  us  tlieir  appropriating  acts.  I  shall  only  (piote 
a  few  words  from  the  prayer  at  the  close  of  the  sermon  now  mentioned. 
'•  Take  away  fear  from  our  hearts,  and  instead  thereof,  inspue  us  with 
confidence  ;  for  thou  art  our  God,  our  Saviour,  and  our  strength  ;  from 
thee  alone  we  expect  our  salvation  :  that  we  may  offer  thee,  as  a  sacrifice, 
tears  of  devotio.i,  tears  of  gratitude,  tears  of  joy  and  pleasure,  drawn 
from  the  fountain  of  salvation," 
31 


362  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

baptism.  They  likewise  declare,  that  God  hath  made  a 
grant  of  Christ  and  his  benefits  more  especially  to  the  mem- 
bers of  what  they  call  the  visible  church.  The  people, 
especially  in  Scotland,  are  likewise  called  to  believe,  that 
their  land  is  married  to  God,  and  that  they  are  related  to  God 
by  means  of  some  covenant,  which  their  fathers  dictated  and 
swore  to,  and  to  which  it  is  confidently  supposed  the  Deity 
agreed.  However,  they  who  can  by  any  means  get  their 
hearts  wrought  up  to  exert  the  appropriating  act  of  faith, 
have  by  far  the  ascendant  above  all  others.  And  the  next 
considerable  distinction  is  betwixt  serious  souls  who  are 
aiming  at  it,  and  those  who  are  careless  or  profane.  To 
the  former  many  comfortable  things  are  said,  and  the  latter 
are  abandoned  to  mere  mercy,  as  worthless  wretches. 

Many  preachers  recommend  it  as  an  improvement  of  their 
appropriating  acts,  to  put  them  into  form  by  personal  cove- 
nanting ;  and,  as  a  further  improvement,  not  a  few  exhort  the 
people  to  join  in  some  shadow  of  national  covenanting,  in  imi- 
tation of  the  persecuting  engagements  entered  into  in  the  last 
century.  And,  indeed,  what  else  were  these  engagements  or 
covenants,  but  public  appropriating  acts  of  faith  ?  Thus  we 
see  how  naturally  the  appropriating  acts  issue  in  Spanish  or 
Portuguese  acts  of  faith  ;  yea,  they  seldom  fail  to  do  so  when 
they  meet  with  the  much  wished  for  concurrence  of  men  of 
power  and  influence.  Thus  we  see  that  men  may,  in  the 
height  of  what  they  reckon  pious  devotion,  devote  themselves 
to  Avork  wickedness  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  men 
called  Christian  have  shown  themselves  abundantly  forward 
to  imitate  the  Jews  in  this  kind  of  zeal. 

But  perhaps  some  will  contend,  that  the  Jewish  appropria- 
tion was  not  so  well  founded  as  our  modern  imitations  of  it ; 
and  that  there  is  a  great  difference  betwixt  reformed  orthodox 
Christians  and  presumptuous  stiff'-necked  Jews.  Yet,  if  we 
will  attend  to  the  Scriptures,  particularly  Paul's  epistles,  we 
shall  find,  that  the  Jewish  plea  had  the  advantage  much  every 
way.  And  we  shall  likewise  find,  that  the  sad  efl^ect  it  had 
upon  them,  is  often  set  before  professors  of  Christianity  for 
their  admonition.  Their  appropriation  was  the  great  spring 
of  all  their  pride,  of  all  their  disaffection  to  the  true  gospel, 
and  all  their  ruin.  In  like  manner,  the  great  corruption  of 
Christianity  took  place,  by  its  professors  zealously  imitating 
the  Jews. 

But  let  us  see  how  the  plea  of  the  Jews  was  founded. 
Paul  acquaints  us  with  the  grounds  of  it,  while  he  bewails 
the  eflTect  it  had  upon  them :   "  I  have  great  heaviness  and 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  363 

continual  sorrow  in  my  heart — for  niy  brethren,  my  kinsmen 
according  to  the  flesh,  to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and 
the  service  of  God  and  the  promises  ;  whose  are  the  fathers, 
and  of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over 
all,  God  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."  And  he  dwells  much 
on  the  Jewish  plea,  especially  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  his 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  in  order  to  repress  the  religious  pride 
of  professors  of  Christianity,  which  he  considers  as  having  far 
less  ground  to  proceed  upon  than  that  of  the  Jews. 

The  same  Apostle  likewise  reads  an  awful  lesson  to  the 
Corinthians,  from  the  more  ancient  history  of  his  nation. 
*'  Moreover,  brethren,  I  would  not  that  ye  should  be  ignorant, 
how  that  all  our  fathers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all 
passed  through  the  sea  ;  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in 
the  cloud,  an4  in  the  sea;  and  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual 
meat,  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink;  for  they 
drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them ;  and  that 
Rock  was  Christ.  But  with  many  of  them  God  was  not 
well  pleased :  for  they  were  overthrown  in  the  wilderness. 
Now  these  were  our  examples,"  &c.  Then,  after  narrating 
several  of  their  provocations  and  punishments,  he  adds,  "Now 
all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for  ensamples,  and  they 
are  written  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of 
the  world  are  come.  Wherefore,  let  him  that  thinketh  he 
standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall.  If  any  fond  of  nice  distinctions 
shall  still  insist,  that  this  way  of  reasoning,  from  the  case  of 
ancient  Jews  to  that  of  zealous  Christians,  is  not  conclusive, 
and  that  the  cases  are  not  parallel ;  I  shall  only  say  that  the 
reasoning  is  Paul's,  that  the  parallel  is  of  his  drawing,  and 
that  it  is  solemnly  urged  home  on  the  consciences  of  those 
who  had  at  least  as  good  a  title  to  the  Christian  name  as  any 
can  now  pretend  to. 

I  SHALL  now  tako  notice  of  a  most  extraordinary  answer 
given  by  Aspasio,  in  Dialogue  16,  vol.  3,  p.  311,  to  those 
"  who  advise  us  to  prove  our  title  to  comfort  by  genuine 
marks  of  conversion,  and  teach  us  on  this  column  to  fix  the 
capital  of  assurance."  He  says,  "  I  would  rather  propose  a 
question  than  advance  objections.  Is  not  this  somewhat  like 
placing  the  dome  of  a  cathedral  upon  the  stalk  of  a  tulip  T 
A  daring  question  indeed!  Here  I  make  free  to  propose 
another  in  my  turn.  Is  not  this  somewhat  very  like  talking 
profanely  ?     And  dares  the  devout  Aspasio  thus  approach  so 


364  LKTTERS  OS  [LET.   VI. 

near  to  ridiculing  the  work  of  the  Holy  Crhost,  as  the  Com- 
forter, which  God  hath  promised  to  "them  that  obey  him  1 
Who  taught  him,  with  such  levity  and  gaiety  of  expression,  to 
disjoin  those  things  which  are  so  solemnly  and  inseparably 
connected  throughout  the  Avhole  New  Testament?  One 
would  have  thought,  that  his  vivacity  might  have  been  checked 
by  his  friend's  reply,  reminding  him  of  the  apostolic  language 
and  practice,  which  he  well  says  is  "  left  upon  record  as  a 
pattern  for  all  posterity  to  cop3V  We  know  that  tee  are  passed 
from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren.  But 
instead  of  giving  a  serious  hearing  to  this  weighty  argument, 
he  turns  it  aside,  by  telling  us,  that  the  Apostle's  reasoning 
here  is  like  the  form  of  an  inverted  cone.  "  Observe,  The- 
ron,  the  process  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning.  It  is  like  the 
form  of  an  inverted  cone  ;  where  you  have  first  the  point,  and 
from  thence  proceed  to  the  base.  So  the  sacred  writer  begins 
with  the  less,  and  ascends  to  the  greater  proof.  He  says  in 
one  of  the  following  verses,  Hereby  'perceive  we  the  love  of 
God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life,  not  merely  for  sinners,  but 
for  us  in  particular. — Here,  you  see,  is  assurance  by  the  direct 
act  of  faith." 

Before  we  consider  the  last  cited  text,  it  will  be  proper  to 
observe,  how  well  the  former  one  cited  by  Theron  tallies 
with  the  words  of  Jesus,  recorded  by  the  same  Apostle  in  his 
gospel,  John  v,  24,  "  Verily,  verily,  1  say  unto  you.  He  that 
heareth  my  word,  andbelieveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is 
passed  from  death  unto  life."  Here  we  see  how  men  pass 
from  death  unto  life.  John  declares  how  they  come  to  know 
this;  while  plainly  pointing  at  the  words  of  Jesus,  he 
says,  "  We  know  that  we  are  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren."  By  this  proof,  men  come  to 
know,  that  the  joy  they  had  upon  their  first  believing,  was 
not  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite,  or  of  those  who  believe  only  for 
a  while,  but  was  indeed  the  beginning  of  eternal  life  ;  and  so 
their  joy  is  made  full.  By  this  they  came  to  know  that  it 
was  the  genuine  truth  of  God,  and  not  any  human  counter- 
feit or  corruption  of  it,  which  they  at  first  believed.  They 
know  that  they  have  not  mistaken  the  truth,  nor  believed  in 
vain,  as  many  do,  who,  on  their  first  profession,  make  full  as 
promising  an  appearance  as  those  who  believe  to  the  saving 
of  the  soul.  Thus  they  receive  an  additional  knowledge 
and  certainty  about  the  truth,  in  the  way  of  experience,  by 
perceiving  that  it  works  efl^ectually  in  them,  producing  its 
genuine  eflfects. 


LET.  TI.J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  365 

Let  us  now  consider  the  passage  which  Aspasio  compares 
to  an  inverted  cone,  only  premising  this  much,  that  as  there 
is  more  in  Christianity  than  can  be  seen  by  the  eyes  of  men 
inspecting  each  other,  the  apostles  sustain  themselves  not  only 
as  the  standard  of  the  true  profession  of  Christianity,  as  far 
as  men  can  observe  it  in  one  another's  words  and  actions,  but 
also  as  witnesses,  from  their  own  certain  experience,  that  the 
comforts  promised  in  the  gospel  to  believers,  invariably  attend 
the  genuine  practice  of  it.  Accordingly,  as  often  as  the 
apostles  speak  of  their  interest  in  Christ  and  life  eternal,  or 
use  any  language  to  that  effect,  we  shall  find  that  they  either 
speak  of  themselves  separately,  or  in  conjunction  with  those 
only  who  are  possessed  of  the  same  unfeigned  faith  and  love 
with  them. 

The  passage  runs  thus,  1  John  iii,  13,  "Marvel  not,  my 
brethren,  if  the  world  hate  you.  We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren:  he 
that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death.  Whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer  ;  and  ye  know  that  no  mur- 
derer hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him.  Hereby  perceive  we 
the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us ;  and  we 
ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  Which,  agree- 
ably to  the  scope  of  the  whole  epistle,  may  be  thus  para- 
phrased at  large.  "  Be  not  surprised,  my  brethren,  at  the  con- 
temptible figure  you  make  in  the  eyes  of  the  wise  and  devout 
world.  As  your  brotherhood  is  not  framed  to  promote  any 
of  those  ends  which  they  admire,  but,  on  the  contrary,  serves 
to  gall  them  in  the  tenderest  part,  by  undermining  all  the 
grounds  of  boasting  which  they  hold  most  sacred,  it  must 
always  appear  as  despicable  to  them  as  did  the  character  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  foundation  and  bond  of  your  union.  Your 
mutual  affection  for  his  name's  sake,  must  always  provoke 
the  world  in  like  manner,  as  his  name  did  from  the  beginning. 
Marvel  not,  then,  at  their  hatred,  nor  be  disconcerted  at  any 
insults,  or  other  sufferings,  you  meet  with  from  thence,  so  as 
to  be  thereby  shaken  or  cooled  in  your  love  to,  or  esteem  for 
one  another;  but  rather  consider  what  we,  the  apostles,  by 
whose  ministry  ye  received  the  gospel,  can  assure  you  of  for 
your  encouragement.  We  ourselves  have  trod  the  path  we 
recommend  to  you,  and  have  found  it  successful.  In  obeying 
Christ's  new  commandment,  we  have  experienced  the  pro- 
mised consolation.  And  thus  we  know  that  we  have  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  hreihren.  And  this  enjoy- 
ment is  no  way  peculiar  to  us,  but  is  common  to  all  who  are 
influenced  by  the  same  love.  We,  then,  as  the  chosen  pat' 
31* 


366  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

terns  to  all  Christians  of  the  genuine  influence  and  effects  of 
the  gospel,  as  well  as  the  authorized  speakers  of  it,  assure  you 
from  our  own  experience,  that  in  obeying  the  truth  we  know 
that  we  have  eternal  life.  And  this  we  do  to  encourage  you 
to  follow  us,  and  prevent  your  being  imposed  upon  by  any 
deceivers  making  high  pretensions  to  friendship  with  God. — 
For  though  all  Christians  walking  in  our  footsteps  enjoy  the 
same  consolation  with  us,  yet  ye  cannot  with  equal  certainty 
believe  any  man  giving  an  account  of  his  experience  as  ye 
can  believe  us  ;  for  ye  know  that  our  testimony  is  true.  And 
the  pretensions  of  all  Christians  must  still  be  tried  and  exam- 
ined by  our  standard ;  and,  after  all,  by  this  standard  must 
every  Christian  examine  himself  For  we  are  of  God  :  he 
that  knoweth  God,  heareth  us  ;  he  that  is  not  of  God,  hearelh 
not  us.  Hereby  we  know  the  spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of 
error.  Now,  if  any  man  among  you,  however  eminent  in 
his  profession  otherwise,  lovcth  not  his  brother,  he  abidctk  in 
death.  If  he  love  not  the  brotherhood,  or  any  one  of  them, 
for  the  truth's  sake  dwelling  in  them,  so  be  influenced  by  the 
aversion  which  the  world  bears  to  them  on  that  account,  he 
is  yet  a  stranger  to  life  eternal:  "for  whosoever  hateth  his 
brother,  is  a  murderer  :  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath 
eternal  life  abiding  in  him.  But  hereby  we,  who  love  the 
brethren,  perceive  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his 
life  for  us."'  We,  who  are  conscious  of  the  effects  and  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  the  atonement,  know  that  God  first  loved  us,  and  had 
a  peculiar  regard  to  us  in  providing  the  atonement ;  so  first 
and  last,  from  that  atonement,  arises  all  our  knowledge  and 
experience  of  the  love  of  God.  And  while  we  thus  perceive 
God's  love  to  us,  in  providing  the  atonement  for  us,  we  find 
our  encouragement,  as  well  as  obligation,  to  proceed  as  we 
have  begun  to  imitate  his  love,  greatly  enforced.  We  have 
the  most  endearing  and  cogent  reason  to  judge,  that  we  ought 
to  lay  doivn  our  lives  for  the  brethreM." 

The  simplebelief  of  the  truth,  is  the  only  spring  of  all  true 
holiness,  of  all  love  and  obedience  to  God.  He  who,  per- 
ceiving the  Divine  love  to  sinners  of  all  sorts,  without  distinc- 
tion, manifested  in  the  atonement,  is  thereby  led  to  love  the 
atonement,  and  the  Divine  character  appearing  there,  and  so 
to  enjoy  the  promised  comfort  resulting  thence  to  the  obedient, 
comes  at  the  same  time  to  know  his  particular  interest  in  the 
atonement.  And  thus  by  happily  experiencing  the  truth  of 
the  gospel,  he  is  greatly  encouraged  to  go  forward  in  that 
course  into  which  he  was  at  first  introduced  by  the  evidence 
of  truth  appearing  to  him  in  the  report  of  the  gospel.     So  he 


LET.  VI.]  TIIERON   AND  ASPaSIO.  367 

labours  neither  first  nor  last  to  acquire  any  requisite  to  justifi- 
cation ;  but  all  his  labour  proceeds  on  the  persuasion,  that  the 
atonement  itself  is  the  sole  and  all-sufficient  requisite  to  justi- 
fication. He  is  likewise  sensible,  that  the  atonement  is  the 
sole  spring  of  all  his  self-denied  love,  and  of  all  the  present 
comfort,  as  well  as  future  reward  connected  with  it;  so  he 
knows  that  all  his  holiness,  as  well  as  all  his  happiness, 
comes  entirely  of  that  grace  which  provided  the  atonement, 
and  thus  he  understands  how  grace  reigns  through  righte- 
ousness unto  eternal  life. 

The  merchant  who,  being  encouraged  by  some  credible 
intelligence  Providence  has  favoured  him  with  from  an  un- 
expected quarter,  sets  out  at  all  hazards  on  some  new  branch 
of  traffic,  will  be  greatly  animated  to  proceed,  when  he  finds 
his  labours  crowned  with  success:  and  he  will  always  reflect 
with  satisfaction  on  the  happy  occasion  that  first  gave  him 
the  advantageous  hint.  But  as  to  all  earthly  things,  it  must 
be  owned,  that  the  best  founded  hopes  are  often  frustrated  by 
accidents,  which  no  human  foresight  can  prevent.  And  here 
the  excellency  of  the  gospel  stands  distinguished  ;  for  he  who 
so  knows  the  bare  report  thereof,  as  to  love  it  and  run  all 
risks  upon  it,  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward.  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  he  shall  not  be  disappointed. 

Before  we  go  further,  I  would  take  this  occasion  to  say, 
that  the  passages  in  the  Dialogues  which  appear  to  me  to 
deserve  the  greatest  censure,  are  those  two,  which,  in  a 
very  confident  manner  deny,  the  one,  the  comfort  attending- 
the  simple  belief  of  the  gospel,  and  the  other,  the  additional 
comfort  attending  self-denied  obedience  to  it.  Both  these  pas- 
sages are  within  a  few  pages  of  each  other,  in  Dialogue  16, 
vol.  3.  The  former,  in  p.  301,  puts  the  strong  negative.  No 
surely,  against  any  manner  of  advantage  arising  to  us  from 
the  bare  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  The  latter, 
in  p.  31 1,  compares  that  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ, 
which  the  Scripture  every  where  rests  on  obedience  to  his 
laws,  to  placing  the  dome  of  a  cathedral  upon  the  stalk  of  a 
tulip.  And  all  this  is  done  in  order  to  rest,  I  cannot  say  our 
comfort,  but  a  good  opinion  of  our  state,  on  what  is  neither 
faith  nor  obedience.  For,  according  to  the  popular  doctrine, 
men  living  for  a  course  of  years  together  in  unbelief,  conse- 
quently neither  loving  the  gospel  nor  enjoying  the  comfort 
of  it,  are  allowed  to  consider  themselves  all  the  w^hile  as 
regenerate,  provided  they  have  once  in  their  lifetime  exerted 
a  certain  act. 


368  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VJ. 

IsHALL  now  take  some  notice  of  a  treatise,  highly  esteemed 
by  the  votaries  of  the  popular  doctrine,  I  mean  The  Gospel 
Mystery  of  Sanctijication,  wrote  by  Mr.  Marshall.  I  have 
seen  lately,  in  a  third  edition  of  the  Dialogues,  a  very  ample 
commendation  of  this  book,  which  I  cannot  quote  here  at 
present,  not  having  that  edition  of  the  Dialogues  beside  me. 
But,  if  I  rightly  remember,  it  is  commended  as  inferior  to  no 
book  but  the  Bible.  It  is  divided  into  fourteen  directions. — 
And  one  may  have  a  pretty  good  view  of  the  whole,  by  look- 
ino-  over  the  contents  at  the  front  of  the  book.  This  author 
supposes  his  unconverted  reader,  when  beginning  to  be  con- 
cerned about  religion,  to  propose  for  his  end  such  an  obedi- 
ence to  the  Divine  law,  as  may  be  acceptable  to  God  ;  and,  in 
order  to  conduct  him  in  a  right  manner  to  this  end,  he  directs 
him  to  make  use  of  Christ  as  the  means  by  which  he  may 
be  qualified  for  performing  acceptable  obedience,  and  so 
obtain  the  desired  end.  According  to  this  author,  then, 
Christ  is  not  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,  but  the 
be.st  means  one  can  make  use  of  for  enabling  him  to  perform 
that  righteousness  which  is  the  end  of  the  law. 

In  Direction  1,  p.  2,  third  Edition,  Edinburgh,  1733,  he 
says,  "  Take  notice  further,  that  the  law,  which  is  your  mark, 
is  exceeding  broad,  Psal.  cxix,  96."  And  after  speaking  of 
the  extent  of  the  law,  he  says,  "  This  spiritual  universal  obe- 
dience is  the  great  end,  to  the  attainment  whereof  I  am  direct- 
ing you.  And  that  you  may  not  reject  mine  enterprise  as 
impossible,  observe,  that  the  most  that  I  promise  is  no  more 
than  an  acceptable  performance  of  these  duties  of  the  law, 
such  as  our  gracious  merciful  God  will  certainly  delight  in, 
and  be  pleased  with,  during  our  state  of  imperfection  of  holi- 
ness, and  all  happiness  in  the  world  to  come."  Would  not 
one  imagine  he  were  hearing  Mr.  Locke  just  now  ?  but  to  go 
on  with  our  author,  p.  6,  "  The  second  thing  contained  in 
this  introductory  direction,  is  the  necessity  of  learning  the 
powerful  and  effectual  means,  whereby  this  great  and  excel- 
lent end  may  be  accomplished,  and  of  making  this  the  first 
work  to  be  done,  before  we  can  expect  success  in  any  attempt 
for  the  attainment  of  it. 

"  This  is  an  advertisement,  very  needful  because  many  are 
apt  to  skip  over  the  lesson  concerning  the  means,  (that  will 
fill  up  this  whole  treatise,)  as  superfluous  and  useless.  When 
once  they  know  the  nature  and  excellency  of  the  duties  of  the 
law,  they  account  nothing  wanting  but  diligent  performances  ; 
and  they  rush  blindly  upon  immediate  practice,  making  more 
haste  than  good  speed." — p.  7,  "  That  you  may  not  stumble 


LET.    VI.]  THKRON  AND  ASPASIO.  369 

at  the  threshold  of  a  relig-ious  life,  by  this  comirion  oversight. 
1  shall  endeavour  to  make  you  sensible,  that  it  is  not  enoug-h 
for  you  to  know  the  matter  and  reason  of  your  duty  :  but  that 
you  are  also  to  learn  the  powerful  nnd  effectual  means  of  per- 
formance, before  you  can  successfully  apply  yourselves  to 
immediate  practice.'"' 

Accorditig-ly,  the  well  disposed  reader  is  led  forward  to  his 
desired  end,  in  consequence  of  the  same  good  dispositions  that 
led  him  to  use  the  means.  But  why  all  this  round  about 
course?"  Why  should  we  seek  to  repress  any  man's  im- 
petuosity to  fulfil  the  law,  who  already  knows  the  matter  and 
reason  of  his  duty,  and  is  already  acquainted  with  the  nature 
and  excellency  of  the  duties  of  the  law?  Why  should  we 
retard  his  course,  by  entangling  him  in  a  labyrinth  about  the 
use  of  means,  seeing  he  may  die  before  he  has  learned  to  use 
them  aright,  and  so  never  reach  his  desired  end?  Mcthinks 
it  would  be  much  better  to  direct  him  to  study  Ezekiel,  chap, 
xxxiii,  where  he  will  find,  that  all  well-disposed  persons  have 
as  much  security  for  their  happiness,  as  the  Divine  oath  can 
give.  As  for  the  gospel,  it  was  only  intended  to  relieve  those 
ill-disposed  people  who  despair  of  ever  doing  anything  to 
render  them  acceptable  to  God  by  any  assistance  whatsoever. 
It  was  never  intended  to  be  an  auxiliary  to  those  good  people 
who  are  desirous  to  give  acceptable  obedience  to  the  Divine 
law.  All  such,  w^herever  they  are,  shall  undoubtedly  be 
happy,  without  having  any  occasion  to  trouble  their  heads 
about  the  gospel.  The  gospel  was  never  intended  to  make 
void  the  law  in  any  respect ;  yea,  it  establishes  the  law  on  all 
sides  in  the  strongest  manner. 

Let  us  noAv  observe  the  use  of  means  to  w^hich  our  author 
directs.  Direct,  i  I,  p.  208,  "Endeavour  diligently  to  per- 
form the  great  work  o[ believing  on  Christ,  in  a  rigJit  manner, 
without  any  delay'''  Page  209,  "  The  first  thing  in  the  pre- 
sent direction,  is  to  fut  you  upon  the  performance  of  this  great 
work  of  believing  on  Christ,  and  to  guide  you  therein.  For 
you  are  to  consider  distinctly  four  things  contained  in  it. 

"  1.  The  first  is,  you  are  to  make  it  your  diligent  endeavour 
to  perform  the  great  work  of  believing  on  Christ. — Even 
those  who  are  convinced,  that  believing  on  Christ  is  a  duty 
necessary  to  salvation,  do  neglect  all  diligent  endeavours  to 
perform  it;  either  because  they  account,  that  it  is  a  motion  of 
the  heart  which  may  be  easily  performed  at  any  time,  without 
any  labour  or  diligent  endeavour ;  or,  on  the  contrary,  because 
they  account  it  as  difficult  as  all  the  works  of  the  law,  and 
utterly  impossible  for  them  to  perform,  by  their  mo§t  diligent 


370  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

endeavours,  except  the  Spirit  of  God  work  it  in  them  by  his 
mighty  power."  Page  212,  "2.  Believing  on  Christ  is  a 
work  that  will  require  diligent  endeavour  and  labour  for  the 
performance  of  it.  We  must  labour  to  enter  into  that  rest." 
Pag.  215,  "3.  Though  we  cannot  possibly  perform  this  great 
work  in  a  right  manner,  until  the  Spirit  of  God  work  faith  in 
our  hearts  by  his  mighty  power;  yet  it  is  necessary  that  we 
should  endeavour  it,  and  that  before  we  can  find  the  Spirit  of  God 
working  fnith  effectually  in  us,  or  giving  strength  to  believe." 

Let  us  next  observe  our  author's  account  of  faith,  p.  180, 
"  Let  it  be  well  observed,  that  the  reason  why  we  are  to  assure 
ourselves  in  our  faith,  that  God  freely  giveth  Christ  and  his 
salvation  to  us  particularly,  is  not  because  it  is  a  truth  before 
we  believe  it ;  but  because  it  becometh  a  certain  truth  when 
we  believe  it;  and  because  it  will  never  be  true,  except  we  do, 
in  some  measure,  persuade  and  assure  ourselves  that  it  is  so. 
We  have  no  absolute  promise  or  declaration  in  Scripture  that 
God  certainly  will,  or  doth  give  Christ  and  his  salvation  to 
any  one  of  us  in  particular;  neither  do  we  know  it  to  be  true 
already,  by  Scripture,  or  sense,  or  reason,  before  we  assure 
ourselves  absolutely  of  it ;  yea,  we  are  without  Christ's  salva- 
tion at  present,  in  a  state  of  sin  and  misery,  under  the  curse 
and  wrath  of  God.  Only  I  shall  prove,  that  we  are  bound, 
by  the  command  of  God,  thus  to  assure  ourselves  ;  and  the 
Scripture  doth  sufficiently  warrant  us,  that  we  shall  not  de- 
ceive ourselves  in  believing  a  lie,  but  according  to  our  faith, 
so  shall  it  be  to  us,  Matt,  ix,  29,  This  is  a  strange  kind  of 
assurance,  far  different  from  other  ordinary  kinds ;  and  there- 
fore no  wonder,  if  it  be  found  weak  and  imperfect,  and  difficult 
to  be  obtained,  and  it  be  assaulted  with  many  doubtings.  We 
are  constrained  to  believe  other  things,  on  "the  clear  evidence 
we  have  that  they  are  true,  and  would  remain  true,  whether 
we  believe  them  or  no ;  so  that  w^e  cannot  deny  our  assent 
without  rebelling  against  the  light  of  our  senses,  and  reason, 
or  conscience.  But  here  our  assurance  is  not  impressed  on 
our  thoughts  by  any  evidence  of  the  thing,  but  we  must  work 
it  out  in  ourselves  by  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
thereby  we  bring  our  own  thoughts  into  captivity  to  the  obe- 
dience of  Christ."  Here  is  the  great  whirlpool  of  the  popular 
doctrine!  Here  is  the  grand  secret  of  manufacturing  truth 
without  evidence!  But  this  quotation  is  of  so  extraordinary 
a  nature,  that,  in  comparison  with  it,  all  remarks  upon  it  must 
appear  extremely  insipid. 

When  we  have  thus,  according  to  our  author,  wrought  our- 
selves into  a  new  state,  or,  as  is  supposed,  out  of  a  state  of  nature 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  371 

into  a  state  of  grace,  by  the  curious  labour  here  described,  we 
are  then,  and  not  till  then,  qualified  for  the  practice  of  holiness. 
For,  according  to  him,  there  is  no  practice  of  holiness  but 
what  proceeds  from  the  persuasion  of  our  state  being  changed. 
This  persuasion  is  his  faith.  And  by  this  we  receive  qualifi- 
cations necessary  for  obedience  according  to  direct.  2,  p. 
15.  "  Several  endowments  and  qualifications  are  necessary 
to  enable  us  for  the  immediate  practice  of  the  law ;  particu- 
larly, we  must  have  an  inclination  and  propensity  of  our 
hearts  thereunto;  and,  therefore,  we  must  be  well  persuaded 
of  our  reconciliation  with  God,  and  of  our  future  enjoyment 
of  everlasting  heavenly  happiness,  and  of  sufficient  strength, 
both  to  will  and  perform  all  duties  acceptably,  until  we  come 
to  the  enjoyment  of  that  happiness."  We  must  not  imagine, 
for  anything  here  said,  that  the  serious  reader,  before  he  attains 
to  that  happy  change  of  state,  which  is  the  truth  affirmed  in 
their  faith,  is  quite  destitute  of  love  to  God  in  etery  sense  ; 
for,  as  the  popular  doctrine  is  every  where  double,  provided 
an  unconverted  person  has  a  good  inclination  and  propensity 
to  get  the  better  of  his  bad  inclination  and  propensity,  and  to 
use  all  proper  means  for  that  end,  he  is  in  a  very  promising 
way.  And  when  once  he  is  supposed  to  be,  in  some  measure, 
successful,  then  the  happy  change  is  made.  He  may  then 
believe  with  all  freedom.  He  is  then  qualified  to  do  works 
properly  good  in  all  senses,  without  any  ambiguity. 

But  let  us  further  hear  our  author  himself  making  this 
faith,  or  persuasion  of  our  state  being  changed,  the  principle 
of  all  holiness.  Direct.  12,  p.  274,  275,  "  Christ  himself 
walked  in  a  constant  persuasion  of  his  excellent  state:  he  set 
the  Lord  always  before  him,  and  was  persuaded,  that  because 
God  was  at  his  right  hand,  he  should  not  be  moved,  Psal. 
xvi,  8.  How  should  it  be  rationally  expected,  that  a  man 
should  act  according  to  his  new  state  without  assurance  that 
he  is  in  it?"  &c. 

How  foreign  to  the  Scripture  is  this  kind  of  reasoning. — 
The  first  Christians  were  indeed  taught  to  serve  God,  by 
having  the  same  Spirit  of  faith  that  was  in  Christ,  that  is, 
believing  the  same  truth  which  he  believed.  They  were 
persuaded  of  the  dignity  and  excellent  state  of  Christ,  not 
their  own.  The  worthiness  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  was 
the  sole  ground  of  all  their  confidence  toward  God,  the  sole 
spring  of  all  their  obedience  and  all  their  consolation.  But 
if  we  hearken  to  this  author,  we  must  set  out  in  the  service 
of  God  from  the  confidence  of  our  being  in  a  better  state  than 
other  men.     We  must  set  out  from  the  bare  persuasion,  that 


372  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   Yl 

GofI  hath  assisted  us  in  producing  certain  good  motions  in 
our  hearts,  by  which  we  have  acquired  an  excellency  above 
others.  Thus  our  obedience  is  not  influenced  by  what  God 
hath  testified  concerning  his  Son,  but  by  a  persuasion  that 
we  are  better  than  other  people.  Accordingly  our  author 
censures  the  ignorance  of  those  who  would  make  a  holy  life 
to  spring  only  from  what  is  believed  on  testimony.  Page 
251,  "Some,  says  he,  make  no  more  of  living  and  loalking 
by  faith,  than  merely  a  stirring  up,  and  encouraging  ourselves 
to  our  duty  by  such  principles  as  we  believe."  Whereas,  he 
would  have  us  animated  thus,  p.  273,  "  Stir  up  and  strengthen 
yourself  to  perform  the  duties  of  holiness,  by  a  firm  persua- 
sion of  your  enjoyment  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  all  spiritual  and 
everlasting  benefits  through  him."  And  to  doubt  about  this, 
is  witli  him  the  great  sin  of  unbelief*  He  makes  no  account 
of  the  grand  things  testified  of  Christ,  as  any  way  sufficient 
to  lead  us  to  holiness,  willfrout  a  good  opinion  of  our  own 
state.  In  using  this  latter  principle  dexterously,  consists, 
according  to  hirn,  the  great  mystery  of  holy  life.  For  when- 
ever such  gentlemen  have  any  deep  plot  to  manage  against 
the  gospel,  they  are  sure  to  dun  our  ears  with  the  deepness 
of  the  mystery  they  are  going  to  declare.  Page  248,  &  seqq. 
"  Tills  is  the  rare  and  excellent  art  of  godliness,  in  which 
every  Christian  should  strive  to  be  skilful  and  expert.  The 
reason  why  many  come  off  with  shame  and  confusion,  after 
they  have  a  long  time  laboured  with  zeal  and  industry  for 
the  attainment  of  true  godliness,  is,  because  thf-y  were  never 
acquainted  with  this  holy  art,  and  never  endeavoured  to  prac- 
tice in  a  right  gospel  way.  Some  worldly  arts  are  called 
mysteries;  but,  above  all,  this  spiritual  art  of  godliness  is 
without  controversy  a  greai  mystery,  1  Tim.  iii,  10,   because 


*  Tliisis  a  very  notable  device,  and  of  great  and  extensive  influence 
in  the  popular  doctrine.  By  this  the  conscience  itf^elf  is  drawn  in  to  be 
the  friendly  supporter  of  self-conceit.  Thus  men  are  tauglit  to  think  it 
a  heaven-daring  crime  to  suspect  themselves  of  hypocrisy,  even  when  a 
full  conviction  of  it  would  be  the  happiest  thing  that  could  befal  them, 
and  though  such  a  conviction  can  do  no  real  harm  to  any  man,  at  any 
time.  All  the  most  avvlul  rebukes  and  declarations  of  tiie  Divine  dis- 
pleasure, are  artfully  pointed  against  this  imaginary  crime.  And  thus 
the  consciences  of  men  are  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron,  so  as  to  become 
utterly  impcnetralilc  to  tl.e  conviction  of  sin.  They  are  taught  to  think, 
that  if  they  should  admit  what  their  conscience,  or  what  the  Divine  law 
hints  to  them,  they  should  be  guilty  of  the  heinous  damning  sin  of  unbe- 
lief. Thus  the  popular  preachers  spend  much  of  their  time,  and  abuse 
many  passages  of  Scripture,  to  the  sending  of  nudtitiides  down  to  the 
grave  with  a  lie  in  their  right  hand. 


LET.  v.]  THKKON  AND  ASPASIO.  373 

the  means  that  are  to  be  made  use  of  in  it  are  deeply  m\^ste- 
rioiis,  as  hath  been  showed;  and  you  are  not  a  skilful  artist 

till  3^ou   know  them,  and  can  reduce  them  to  practice." 

Whereas,  if  once  the  import  of  Christ's  resurrection  be  under- 
stood, all  the  parts  of  the  Christian  religion  appear  to  have 
as  regular  a  connection  with  it,  as  is  to  be  found  betwixt  any 
one  part  of  the  course  of  nature  and  another. 

This  author,  with  many  others  of  his  stamp,  labours  much 
to  persuade  his  reader,  that,  without  a  good  opinion  of  his 
state,  the  bare  gospel  can  give  no  comfort,  so  can  furnish  no 
motives  to  love  God  and  keep  his  commandments.  Thus 
the  ancient  gospel,  which  from  the  beginning  turned  many 
from  idols  to  serve  the  living  God,  is  now  set  aside,  to  o-ive 
place  to  human  artifice,  dressed  out  with  many  swelling- 
words  of  vanity.  Thus  aJl  the  grand  things  testified  con- 
cerning Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  are  made  to  serve  only 
as  a  footstool  for  human  pride.  Yet,  however  many  maybe 
blinded,  the  election  shall  obtain. 

Now,  seeing  it  is  the  fashion  to  recommend  religious  books, 
I  am  willing  to  comply  with  it  for  once.  If  any  one  chooses 
to  go  to  hell  by  a  devout  path,  rather  than  by  any  other,  let  him 
study  to  form  his  heart  on  any  one  of  these  four  fiimous  trea- 
tises, Mr.  C4uthrie's  T^-'ial  of  a  Saving  Intcresl  in  Christ ;  Mr. 
Marshall's  Gospel-mi/stcry  of  Sanctification  ;  Mr.  Boston's 
Human  Nature  in  its  Fourfold  State ;  and  Dr.  Doddrido-e's 
Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul.  If  any  profane 
person,  who  desires  to  be  converted,  shall  take  pains  to  enter  into 
the  spirit  of  these  books,  it  will  be  easy  to  show,  from  the  New 
Testament,  that  he  thereby  becomes  twofold  more  the  child 
of  hell  than  he  was  before.  If  none  of  these  four  are  at 
hand,  he  may,  without  travelling  far,  easily  read  or  hear 
plenty  of  sermons  and  books  to  the  same  purpose.* 

On  the  other  hand,  if  any  one  has  got  an  ear  for  the  truth 
of  God,  and  desires  to  have  his  mind  established  therein,  let 
him  read  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  recorded  by  the  four  evangelists.  Would  he  be 
skilful  in  distinguishing  the  ancient  gospel  from  all  counter- 


*  What  sort  of  conversions  are  produced  and  encouraged  by  the  popular 
doctrine,  may  be  seen  in  the  second  volume  of  a  !)ook,  called,  Histo- 
rical Collections,  relating  to  rem  nrkdhle  periods  of  the  success  ofthegospd, 
and  eminent  instruments  employed  in  promoting  it.  The  second  volume  ie 
titled  along  the  top  of  the  pages.  The  Success  of  the  Gospel  in  the  ISth  cen- 
tury. It  is  at  present  a  point  of  zeal  among  devout  people,  to  enter  into 
concerts  for  prayer,  for  the  promoting  of  such  conversions  as  are  there 
narrated. 

32 


374  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

feits,  and  so  expert  in  fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith?  let 
him  read  Paul's  epistles.  Would  he  know  what  is  pure  and 
undefiled  religion  before  God,  in  distinction  from  idle  talking 
about  it  ?  let  him  read  James.  Would  he  learn  sobriety  of 
mind,  and  patience  in  suffering  for  the  truth,  and  have  his 
veneration  for  the  greatest  names  in  the  Antichristian  w^orld 
abated  ?  let  him  read  Peter  and  Jude.  Would  he  be  satisfied 
that  his  spiritual  joys  are  not  the  joys  of  the  hypocrite,  but 
that  they  arise  from  fellowship  with  the  true  God,  so  are  the 
sure  pledges  and  real  beginnings  of  life  eternal  ?  let  him 
read  the  Epistles  of  John.  Would  he  know  the  true  state 
and  appearance  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  this  world,  and 
the  world  to  come,  and  so  have  his  mind  fortified  against  all 
modern  dreams,  visions,  and  prophecies  ?  let  him  read  the 
Revelations  of  the  last  mentioned  Apostle.  Would  he  have 
a  safe  and  authentic  commentary  on  the  Old  Testament,  to 
prevent  his  being  imposed  upon  by  the  deceitful  glosses  of 
ancient  or  modern  Jews  1  let  him  consult  all  these  apostolic 
writings  together. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  take  notice  of  the  origin  and 
spring  of  all  practical  errors  as  to  the  Christian  religion. 
If  any  consideration,  beside  or  along  with  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  be  admitted  into  one's  faith,  or  held  requisite  for  his 
justification  before  God,  that  consideration,  whatever  it  be,  is 
his  righteousness,  that  is  the  centre  and  spring  of  his  charity 
and  hope,  so  the  leading  principle  of  his  life.  As  the  most 
holy  faith,  or  one  thing  needful,  refuses  all  mixture,  or  to  be 
joined  with  anything  else  ;  so  he  who  goes  about  to  add  any- 
thing to  it,  must  be  influenced  to  do  so  by  disaffection  to  the 
one  thing  needful,  and  by  love  to  that  which  he  adds.  His 
favourite  addition,  then,  is  the  great  spring  of  his  life,  and 
the  hinge  of  his  passions.  And  what  he  knows  of  the 
gospel  is  wholly  subservient  to  this. 

Moreover,  if  one  maintains  that  Christ  died  for  any  other 
end  than  he  and  his  apostles  have  declared,  that  other  end, 
whatever  it  be,  must  serve,  more  or  less,  to  darken  his  under- 
standing about,  and  cool  his  affection  to  the  great  end  for 
which  Christ  died;  and,  accordingly,  give  a  false  direction 
to  his  zeal  in  the  profession  of  Christianity  The  like  effect 
flows  from  mistaking  what  was  the  justifying  righteousness 
which  Jesus  Christ  finished  in  his  death.  Perhaps  there  is 
nothing  in  Christianity  less  attended  to  by  its  professors,  than 
the  real  character  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  who  is  persuaded 
that  that  character,  which  was  set  at  nought  by  all  ranks  of 


LET.   VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  375 

men,  was  the  only  character  on  earth  .3r(5ceptable  to  God,  and 
of  such  high  value  in  his  sight,^,a^to  procure  his  favour  for 
the  guilty,  must  in  conseque»t5e^  of  this  persuasion,  entertain 
very  uncommon  notions  of  virtue  and  piety.  And  he  who 
declares  this  character  to  be  the  sole  requisite  for  his  justifi- 
cation, and  does  not  make  conscience  of  imitating  it,  evidently 
tells  a  lie,  as  the  Scripture  every  where  affirms. 

Every  practical  error,  then,  in  the  profession  of  Christianity, 
proceeds  from  some  mistake  about  the  one  thing  needful.  It 
would  be  endless  to  take  notice  of  every  particular  mistake, 
and  the  practical  error  that  follows  upon  it.  Yet  some  are 
very  glaring. 

Many  trusting  in  themselves,  that  they  are  more  eminently 
godly  than  others,  look  down  with  a  solemn  pride  on  the 
rest  of  mankind,  and  are  greatly  encouraged  in  this  pride  by 
their  teachers.  Whereas,  the  members  of  one  Christian  church 
ought  to  have  the  same  love  one  towards  another  ;  yet  many 
are  encouraged  to  look  down  on  their  fellows,  in  the  same 
communion,  as  ungodly  and  profane.  Many  have  their  pride 
not  a  little  gratified,  by  complaining  of  the  defections  of  the 
church  whereof  they  are  members.  They  feed  upon  these 
defections,  in  the  midst  of  all  the  mournful  airs  they  assume, 
with  a  delicious  sort  of  self-applause  ;  because  they  are  thus 
reminded  of  their  own  excellency.  Take  away  this  fund  of 
religious  discourse  and  meditation  from  many  devout  people, 
and  you  leave  them  little  religion  behind. 

The  dress,  equipage,  public  entertainments,  and  amuse- 
ments of  people  of  wealth  and  rank,  serve  as  a  notable  fund 
of  declamation  for  the  popular  preacher.  In  handling  this 
topic  well,  he  awakens  the  devotion  of  the  lower  sort  of  peo- 
ple, while  he  stimulates  their  envy;  and  he  extracts  from 
their  poverty,  the  richest  food  for  their  pride.  At  the  same 
time,  such  of  the  hearers  as  are  seriously  intent  on  the  pur- 
suit of  wealth,  are  led  to  consider  that  avarice,  which  restrains 
them  equally  from  liberality  in  the  works  of  mercy,  as  from 
expensive  pleasures,  as  a  Christian  virtue. 

The  various  methods  by  which  popular  preachers  form 
the  distinction  betwixt  the  devout  and  the  profane  world, 
serve  to  possess  the  minds  of  the  former  Avith  a  self-sufficient 
censorious  disposition  toward  the  latter.  Whereas,  the  gos- 
pel teaches  its  disciples  a  very  opposite  temper  of  mind,  Tit. 
iii,  I,  "  Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and 
powers,  to  obey  magistrates,  to  be  ready  to  every  good  work, 
to  speak  evil  of  no  man,  to  be  no  brawlers,  but  gentle,  showing 
all  meekness  unto  all  men  ;  for  we  ourselves  also  were  some- 


376  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

times  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one 
another." 

The  devout  people  are  likewise  taught,  by  the  help  of  an 
ingenious  distinction,  with  great  confidence  to  resume  the 
ancient  prayer  of  the  Pharisee.  Mr.  R.  Erskine,  in  a  sermon 
on  Psal.  ci,  1,  called.  The  Militants  Song,  p.  33,  encourages 
his  hearers  to  rejoice,  "  when,  5^7/5  he,  ye  are  helped  to  say 
thankfully,  what  the  Pharisee  said  boastingly,  The  Lord  he 
thanked  that  I  am  not  as  other  men.''''  But  how  comes  the 
preacher  thus  to  reproach  the  Pharisee,  as  praying  with  a 
worse  disposition  than  his  own  hearers?  The  Pharisee 
spoke  not  a  word  of  boasting  more  than  they.  He  said,  God 
I  thank  thee,  &c.  No  reason,  then,  can  be  given,  to  show 
that  he  was  not  as  thankful  as  they. 

As  to  the  ends  of  Christ's  death,  many  think  he  died  to 
purchase  grace  and  spirit,  to  help  men  to  establish  their  own 
righteousness,  or  acquire  some  requisite  to  justification  ;  and 
accordingly  their  zeal  is  directed.  It  is  common  with  people 
of  this  class,  to  show  their  zeal  in  longing  and  praying  for 
the  down-pouring  on  all  ranks,  of  some  other  spirit  than  that 
which  speaks  in  the  Scripture,  that  serious  religion  may  be 
brought  into  repute.  And  thus  many  satisfy  themselves  in 
their  present  neglect  of  the  written  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
regarding  the  Scriptures  no  farther  than  they  find  them  im- 
pressed on  their  hearts  in  a  certain  way,  and  without  such 
impressions,  professing  they  want  light  about  the  clearest 
passages  of  Scripture. 

Many  think  that  Christ  died  to  redeem  the  forfeiture  of 
earthly  happiness,  so  as  to  reinstate  men  in  the  possession  of 
what  the  first  man  lost  by  transgression.  And,  accordingly, 
their  attention  must  be  draAvn  aside  from  the  sole  end  of  his 
death,  which  was  to  give  his  people  eternal  life  by  a  resur- 
rection from  the  dead.  Many  think  he  died  to  make  way  for 
the  establishment  of  national  churches;  or,  in  other  words,  to 
procure  a  worldly  kingdom  for  his  followers  and  representa- 
tives, seeing  he  could  not  obtain  it  for  himself  while  on  the 
earth.  And  accordingly,  their  zeal  runs  in  that  channel.  If 
they  are  dissenters,  they  murmur  at  the  badness  of  the  times 
and  the  irreligion  of  those  in  power,  because  their  mode  of 
religion  is  not  more  countenanced.  And  they  take  delight 
to  vent  their  envy,  in  the  midst  of  their  religious  warmth,  by 
declaiming  vehemently  against  the  established  clergy,  as 
hirelings,  intruders,  wolves,  &c. 

It  is  common  with  those  who  are  possessed  of  the  foremen- 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  377 

tioned  zeal,  whether  churchmen  or  dissenters,  to  lament  the 
decay  of  religion,  the  contempt  of  the  gospel  and  gospel  mini- 
sters, the  open  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day,  the  little 
frequenting  of  ordinances,  the  increase  of  infidelity,  and  in  a 
word,  everything  that  spoils  the  public  decorum  as  to  re^Iigion, 
or  that  serves  to  lessen  that  weight  and  influence  which  they 
apprehend  their  religious  character  or  office  entitles  them  to 
in  the  nation.  Yet  one  might  as  well  quote  the  Alcoran 
to  these  same  people,  as  talk  to  them  of  coniinui7ig  stead- 
fastly in  the  apostles^  doctrine  andfelloivship,  and  in  breaking 
of  bread,  and  in  prayers.  The  commands  of  Christ  have  no 
manner  of  weight  with  them  against  tradition  and  reputable 
custom.  Christ's  new  commandment  of  love  is  odious  to  them. 
Should  they  be  put  in  mind  of  the  express  and  particular  law 
of  Christ,  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell 
him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone,  <Slc.  ;  they  will 
answer,  it  is  impracticable  as  matters  now  stand. 

Though  the  apostolic  decree,  which  declares  the  peculiar 
precepts  of  the  Mosaic  law,  that  served  to  distinguish  the 
Jews  from  other  nations,  to  be  no  way  binding  on  believing 
Gentiles,  with  equal  force  and  clearness  of  expression  enjoins 
such  Gentiles  abstinence  from  blood,  as  a  thing  necessary  ht 
them  to  observe ;  yet  our  devoutest  preachers,  when  lec- 
turing on  that  decree,  with  solemnity  equal  to  their  impudence, 
take  upon  them  to  pronounce  the  enjoined  abstinence  to  be 
a  thing  indifferent.  The  reason  is,  they  regard  the  bare 
authority  of  Scripture  no  more  than  an  old  ballad.  Yet  the 
same  men  can  show  the  warmest  zeal  against  the  stage. — 
The  reason  is,  the  frequenting  of  the  stage  interferes  with  the 
respect  and  attendance  due  to  the  pulpit,  and  the  venerable 
personage  who  fills  it. 

Let  mention  be  made  of  the  particular  expressions  of  love 
which  the  apostles  enjoined  the  first  Christians,  and  the  devout 
people  with  their  teachers  will  scoff  at  them.  Put  them  in 
mind  of  that  law  wherein  Christ  calls  his  disciples  to  lay  up 
their  treasure,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven,  by  giving  to  the 
poor,  adding  this  reason.  For  where  your  treasure  is,  tho.re 
will  your  heart  be  also  ;  they  will  readily  answer,  that 
Christ,  far  from  forbidding  to  lay  up  treasures  on  earth,  only 
forbids  us  to  set  our  hearts  on  them.  Thus  they  burlesque 
the  reason  given  by  Christ,  and  make  him  to  say,  "  For 
where  your  heart  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also;  or 
where  you  put  your  treasure,  there  your  treasure  will  be." 
And  herein  they  imitate  their  predecessors,  the  Pharisees, 
32* 


378  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

who  though  they  gave  much  alms,  yet  derided  Christ's  doc- 
trine against  covetousness. 

And  thus  might  I  speak  of  every  precept  of  Jesus  Christ, 
that  has  nothing  but  the  weight  of  his  authority  to  enforce  it ; 
yet  if  any  one  presumes  to  trespass  so  far  on  the  public  deco- 
rum, as  frankly  to  profess  himself  an  unbeliever,  the  devout 
people  will  be  apt  to  stare  at  him  as  a  kind  of  monster.  But 
whatever  dislike  thty  have  to  what  they  call  injiddlty,  they 
hate  the  ancient  gospel  much  more. 

Not  a  few  possessed  of  the  last  mentioned  zeal  are  keen 
for  persecution,  so  soon  as  it  shall  be  inth  eir  power,  and  com- 
plain greatly  of  the  toleration  granted  by  the  present  go- 
vernment. These  act  a  consistent  part  in  declaiming  bitterly 
against  everything  that  opposes  their  wished-for  uniformity. 
But  why  should  the  lovers  of  our  present  happy  government, 
the  friends  of  toleration  and  public  liberty,  murmur  at  the 
natural  consequences  of  that  liberty?  But  more  especially, 
why  should  Christians  complain  whatever  shape  the  world 
puts  on,  while  they  have  liberty  to  follow  their  own  religion  ? 
Is  it  not  their  business  to  live  quietly  ;  to  pray  for,  and  do 
good  to  all  men  as  they  have  opportunity ;  to  upbraid  none, 
to  glory  over  none,  and  to  hate  even  the  thought  of  pluming 
themselves  over  any  of  mankind  on  account  of  their  religious 
devotion?  Thus  they  will  best  recommend  their  religion  to 
the  attention  of  others.  Thus  they  will  imitate  him,  of 
whom  it  was  said,  He  shall  nol  strive,  nor  cry,  7ie  it  her  shall 
any  man  hear  his  voice  in  the  streets ;  a  bruised  reed  shall 
he  not  break,  and  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench,  &c. — 
Two  very  fit  emblems  for  the  appearance  of  his  kingdom  in 
the  world.*  I  may  add  here,  that  it  is  a  common  thing  with 
religious  people  to  make  a  great  noise  about  Divine  judg- 
ment impending  over  the  nation  for  the  sins  of  others,  not 
considering  that  the  wrath  to  come  is  chiefly  pointed  against 
contempt  of  the  ancient  gospel,  which  takes  place  no  less 
among  the  stricter  than  among  the  looser  sort. 

*  A  light  or  lamp,  and  a  rod  or  sceptre,  are  frequently  used  in  Scrip- 
ture as  signs  of  royal  power  and  dominion.  And  no  signs  could  be  more 
fitly  chosen  for  the  outward  weakly  ajipearance  of  such  power,  than  a 
bruised  reed  for  a  sceptre,  and  a  smoking  wick  or  lamp  apparently 
ready  to  die  away,  and  be  extinguished.  Agreeably  to  this,  we  find 
that  the  enemies  of  Jesus,  decking  him  with  the  nuick"  ensigns  of  royalty 
in  order  to  insult  his  pretensions,  gave  him  a  reed  for  a  sceptre,  and 
carrying  their  insult  to  the  greatest  extremity,  took  Uie  reed  out  of  his 
hand  and  smote  him  on  the  head.  Hut  the  day  approaches  when  the 
bruised  re»'d  shall  become  a  rod  of  iron,  and  tlie  smoking  fiax  ti  flaming 
Jire,  and  all  other  kingdom.^  and  e.5tablishments  be  quenched  as  tow. 


LET.  VI. J  TIIKUON  AND  ASTASIO.  379 

Many  are  the  little  sing-ularitics  of  parties,  by  which  the 
attention  of  men  is  drawn  away  fioin  the  confimon  faith.  And 
indeed  they  cannot  be  too  lightly  esteemed  in  comparison  of 
the  great  end  for  which  Christ  died. — Some,  who  do  not  pro- 
fess Popery,  maintain  that  Christ  died  to  consecrate  an  order 
of  Priests,  to  offer  certain  unbloody  eucharistical  sacrifices  to 
propitiate  for  daily  sins,  and  must  be  influenced  accordingly 
in  their  religious  practice. — Many  devout  persons  in  Scotland 
are  taught  to  think,  that  Christ  died  to  purchase  for  the  peo- 
ple inhabiting  a  certain  district  called  a  parish,  a  right  to  claim 
from  the  British  government  fifty,  sixty,  or  a  hundred  pounds 
sterling  yearly,  to  the  man  they  choose  for  their  minister. 
And,  though  it  is  well  known,  that  the  British  government 
hinders  no  people  to  choose  their  own  minister,  nor  to  feed 
and  clothe  him  in  the  best  manner  they  can ;  yet  many  are 
taught  to  consider  it  as  a  heavy  grievance  to  be  deprived  of 
the  forementioned  right :  yea,  this  is  the  chief  thing  under- 
stood in  the  noted  phrase.  The  rights  of  the  hordes  people. 
Thus  they  are  taught  to  think  and  .speak  disrespectly  of  those 
in  power,  contrary  to  all  the  rules  of  the  gospel.  And  thus 
they  are  taught  to  think  impiously  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  if  it 
were  in  the  power  of  any  potentate  on  earth  to  deprive  Christ's 
people  of  any  right  he  died  to  purchase  for  them.  Many  think 
Christ  died  to  authorize  persecuting  oaths  or  covenants,  among 
whom  even  the  friends  of  Aspasio  make  a  distinguished  figure. 
In  a  word,  whatever  side  religious  people  take  in  politics, 
or  whatever  party  designs  they  are  engaged  in,  they  are  apt 
to  suppose  that  they  are  promoting  some  end  for  which  Christ 
died. 

Mistakes  about  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ  are  attended 
with  the  like  practical  errors.  Various  parties,  of  the  same 
temper  with  those  who  opposed  him  at  the  first,  have  found  it 
convenient  to  patronize  their  favourite  designs  with  his  sacred 
name,  by  perverting,  some  one,  some  another  part  of  his  his- 
tory. Yea,  not  to  stay  upon  lesser  instances,  bloody  and 
deceitful  men  have  bound  themselves  by  solemn  covenant  to 
the  most  impious  inhumanity  ;  and  pret(  nded  they  were  herein 
following  Jesus  (Christ,  who  drove  the  buyers  and  sellers  out 
of  the  temple.  And  though  Jesus  Christ  made  Pilate  well 
understand  that  his  kingdom  no  way  interfered  with  that  of 
Caesar;  yet  many  preachers,  with  great  vehemence,  oppose 
the  headship  and  sovereignty  of  Christ  to  the  supremacy  of  the 
King  of  Britiin.  Thus  if  times  and  circumstances  allowed, 
they  would  patronize  rebellion  with  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus. 
Here  I  must  declare  myself  at  a  loss  to  understand  bow  a  friend 


380  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

of  public  liberty,  and  of  our  happy  constitution,  should  in  a 
book,  intended  to  recommend  the  imputed  righteousness,  or  the 
character  of  Jesus  Christ,  direct  us  to  learn  holiness  from  men 
who  declare  their  aversion  to  toleration,  and  so  to  humanity, 
and  at  the  same  time  a  sacred  regard  for  persecuting  oaths, 
from  men  who  would  mTjke  Jesus  to  be  what  the  Jews  accused 
him  for,  and  at  the  same  time  lead  us  to  follow  a  Messiah 
altogether  such  as  they  desired.  Mr.  Boston,  I  own,  seems 
to  have  been  so  much  taken  up  in  teaching  his  people  to 
establish  their  own  righteousness  by  acts  of  faith,  that  he  in- 
sisted less  on  the  covenanted  uniformity,  with  the  several 
political  uses  for  the  Messiah,  than  some  others  of  his  class ; 
but  Mr.  E.  Erskine,  in  his  sermons,  shows  his  zeal  abundantly 
for  a  Jewish  secular  Messiah  in  all  respects;  yea,  he  carries 
the  matter  so  high,  that  in  his  sermon,  entitled,  The  Kingdovi 
of  God  Within  the  Soul  of  Man,  he  warmly  commends,  as 
worthies,  those  who,  in  the  last  century,  chose  rather  to  die 
than  say,  God  save  the  King. 

The  popular  preachers  of  Scotland  are  presently  doing 
the  best  they  can  to  infuse  their  spirit  into  England.  Witness 
a  late  performance  published  by  one  of  them,  entitled, 
England^ s  Alarm,  <fcc.  And  they  take  care  to  propagate 
their  appropriating  faith  in  the  closest  connection  with  their 
impious  principles  of  inhumanity.  And,  indeed,  they  so  far 
judge  right ;  for  nothing  is  more  cruel  and  inhuman  than 
spiritual  pride. — One  would  think  that  these  gentlemen  of 
Scotland,  might  easily  enter  upon  a  treaty  of  alliance  with  the 
followers  of  Mr.  Hutchinson,  in  England,  could  they  only 
come  to  some  mutual  agreement  or  forbearance  about  a  few 
trifling  questions  relating  to  Presbytery  and  Prelacy.  But  it 
is  happily  so  ordered  by  Providence,  for  the  benefit  of  man- 
kind, that  their  common  enemies  are  often  easily  divided  by 
very  trifling  circumstances  ;  and  however  much  they  howl, 
pray,  and  groan  forth  their  sorrow  at  the  public  divisions  in 
religious  matters ;  yet  they  are  so  infatuated,  that  all  their 
machinations  serve  often  rather  to  widen  than  to  heal  these 
divisions. 

I  SHALL  here  take  some  further  view  of  the  progress  of  the 
popular  doctrine  in  England,  as  also  of  the  counterfeit  grace, 
which  may  justly  be  considered  as  the  capital  characteristic 
of  that  doctrine ;  even  as  the  true  grace  of  God  is  the  grand 
characteristic  of  the  apostolic  gospel.  The  counterfeit  grace 
corresponds  with  the  preliminary  faith  formerly  noted.  And 
the  purpose  it  serves  for  is,  to  prepare  and  qualify  men  for,  or 


LET.   VI.]  THERON    AND  ASPASIO.  381 

to  make  them  deserving^  objects  of  siving-  grace ;  that  is,  it 
serves  to  qualify  some  men  beyond  others  foi-  bci.i.o-  btnetited 
by  the  great  work  of  mercy  and  grace  finished  by  Christ  on 
the  cross,  where  alone  the  saving  grace  of  God  is  nianifested. 
This  preliminary  grace,  however  much  it  has  been  christian- 
ized, is  at  bottom  the  same  thing  with  that  divine  njjlatus, 
influence,  or  energy,  by  which  it  was  supposed  philosophers 
and  heroes  of  old  became  good  and  great  men.  When  the 
writings  of  any  eminent  preacher  of  this  grace  are  published 
after  his  death,  the  editor  commonly  takes  care  to  usber  them 
into  the  view  of  the  public  with  high  encomiums  on  the  piety 
of  the  author,  as  being  dtsirous  to  make  us  understand,  that  he 
led  a  life  of  very  intimate  communion  with  the  Deity,  so  could 
not  fail  to  have  been  admitted  far  into  his  secret  counsels. 
Thus  their  writings  come  abroad  to  us  with  a  sanction  or 
authority  not  unlike  what  attended  ancient  legislators,  when 
they  emerged  to  the  view  of  the  public  from  some  cave  or 
grotto,  where  it  was  supposed  they  had  been  for  a  long  time 
intimately  conversing  with  some  male  or  female  divinity. 

But  we  are  not  to  imagine,  that  the  preachers  of  this  grace 
are  content  with  the  prospect  of  being  worshiped  after  death. 
They  generally  incline  to  leave  their  editors  or  gentlemen- 
ushers  as  little  to  do  as  possible.  They  take  care  to  make  it 
a  principal  part  of  their  doctrine  to  preach  up  their  own  excel- 
lency, and  make  the  people  understand,  that  they  have  an  un- 
common intimacy  with  the  Deity,  and  are  the  canals  of  his 
favours  to  men. 

But  this  is  not  all :  They  are  also  careful  to  magnify  the  tes- 
timony of  some  spirit,  which  they  call  the  Divine  Spirit,  above 
the  written  testimony  of  God  in  the  Scripture.  1  do  not  say 
they  magnify  it  expressly  in  opposition  to  the  written  word. 
This  would  never  do  :  for  the  credit  of  the  Scripture  must  still 
be  maintained,  so  as  it  may  remain  as  a  proper  foundation  and 
ground-work  for  all  their  artifices.  They  generally  agree 
with  the  more  cautious  of  the  people  called  Quakers,  in  main- 
taining, that  this  inward  witnessing  spirit  must  never  flatly 
contradict  the  outward  testimony  of  the  written  word,  while 
yet  it  may  give  evidence  beyond  and  above  that  word. 

To  sum  up  what  has  been  said,  a  popular  preacher  may 
pretty  easily  be  distinguished  by  these  three  marks,  viz.  by 
his  preaching  the  counterfeit  grace  above  described,  by  his 
aggrandizing  his  own  person  in  lofty  strains,  and  by  his  mag- 
nifying the  testimony  of  some  spirit  above  the  Scripture.  Yet 
any  one  of  these  is  sufHcieut  to  darken  one's  mind,  and  to  dis- 


382  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

affect  him  to  the  doctrine  of  the  true  grace  of  God  preached 
by  the  apostles. 

"  Beware"  (says  Dr.  Crisp  in  one  of  his  sermons*  on  Is. 
liii,  6,  )  "  that  you  make  not  the  credit  of  the  voice  of  the 
Spirit  to  depend  upon  the  word."  His  notion  of  grace  may 
be  seen  by  the  following  passages.  "  Now  hath  the  Lord 
given  thee  a  heart  to  come,  that  thou  would  fain  have  Christ 
if  thou  durst,  fain  thou  wouldst  that  all  thy  iniquities  should 
be  taken  from  thee  to  be  laid  upon  him.  Beloved,  the  Lord 
saith  expressly  unto  you,  Every  one  that  ivill,  let  him  come. 
Have  you  but  a  mind  to  come  and  take  him,  your  coming  and 
taking  is  your  security."!  In  another  sermon,  on  John  vi, 
37,  Aficl  hivi  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  noivise  cast  out  ;  he 
proceeds  thus,  "  I  say,  suppose  a  person  to  be  in  the  w'orst 
condition  you  can  imagine,  single  out  the  vilest  man  in  the 
world,  &c. ; — such  a  person  as  this,  and  continuing  to  this 
very  instant,  now  before  the  Lord,  as  he  was  before,  without 
any  change  and  alteration  in  the  world  until  this  time,  suppose 
such  a  person  ;  by  this  text  it  appears  so  manifest,  that  if  the 
Lord  do  but  grant,  and  hath  but  put  a  willingness  and  readiness 
of  spirit  into  this  man,|  that  Christ  he  would  have,  if  it  might 
appear  he  might  have  him  ;  if  his  heart  do  but  say,  I  would 
have  him,  all  that  sinfulness,  though  to  this  instant  continued 
in,  is  no  bar  in  the  world  but  this  man  may  claim  his  po  tion 
in  Christ,  and  have  as  certain  security  that  his  portion  is  there, 
as  any  other  man  may  have."^ 

His  lofty  conceit  may  be  seen  by  the  follownng  passage : 
"  Let  me  tell  you,  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  at  this  time  to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  such  captives  that  are  in  this  sad,  bitter,  and 
(to  their  thinking)  desperate  condition;  liberty  God  hath 
given  thee,  if  thou  wilt  come  freely  ;  nothing  in  the  Avorld 
shall  hinder  thee."  || 

I  am  not  surprised  to  find  Dr.  Gill  espousing  the  grace 
maintained  by  this  writer,  as  his  avowed  principles  lead  him 
to  conclude,  that  adult  persons  are  entitled  to  baptism,  so  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  on  account  of  that   which  distin- 


*  See  the  two  volumes  of  his  sermons,  piibhshed  two  years  ago  by 
Dr.  Gill,  vol.  2.  p.  133. 

t  Vol.  -2,  p.  95. 

X  At  this  place  Dr.  Gill  has  the  following  note.  "  Here  you  see  clearly 
the  Doctor  supposes  willingness  and  readiness  of  spirit  to  come  to  Christ 
put  into  such  a  sinner,  which  is  owing  to  power  and  grace  thus  making 
willing ;  and  such  a  soul  will  never  be  rejected,  let  him  be  ever  so  vile." 

II  Vol.  1,  pp.  341,  442. 

^  Ibid.  p.  343. 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND   ASPASIO.  383 

guishes  them  from  infants :  whereas,  if  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles  be  true,  that  the  former  can  contribute  no  more  than 
the  latter  for  obtaining  a  part  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  their 
reasoning  must  also  be  just,  that  where  God  makes  no  differ- 
ence as  to  the  communication  of  his  favour,  we  can  make 
none  in  the  expression  of  our  regard,  or  in  administering  the 
outward  signs  or  privileges,  without  being  guilty  of  with- 
standing God.  When  Peter  beheld  God  setting  aside  the 
difference  which  he  formerly  made  great  account  of,  yea, 
much  more  than  of  that  betwixt  infants  and  adult  persons,  he 
reasoned  like  a  sober-minded  man,  Wliit  urns  I  that  I  could 
withstarid  God  ?  But  the  Doctor  is  a  man  of  great  conse- 
quence, no  less  than  one  of  the  Deity's  ambassadors,  if  we 
will  take  his  word  for  it. 

I  am  rather  surprised  to  find,  that  a  class  of  people,  whom 
I  am  just  going  to  mention,  have  so  thoroughly  imbibed  the 
very  rankest  poison  of  the  popular  doctrine.  I  have  seen  "A 
Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  use  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
meeting  in  Margaret-street,  near  Oxford  market,  and  other 
Churches  in  Fellowship  with  them."  By  way  of  introduc- 
tion to  the  hymns,  we  have  a  summary  of  principles,  sub- 
scribed by  William  Cudworth,  and  title  dthus,  "The  united 
principles  of  the  church  of  Christ,  for  whom  these  Hymns 
are  collected,  being  the  substance  of  those  maintained  by  the 
late  Messrs.  Erskines,  and  the  seceding  ministers  in  Scotland, 
agreeable  to  the  Scripture,  and  all  old  protestant  divines." — 
Here  we  see  what  names  people  now  choose  for  patronizing 
their  creed,  instead  of  those  of  the  apostles. 

1  shall  here  quote  a  few  sentences  from  this  summary. 
And  as  to  power  to  come  to,  or  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  a 
worthy  minister  well  observes  as  follows  :  "  If  thou  hast  a 
will  to  embrace  him,  the  great  difficulty  is  over ;  for  there 
lies  the  principal  stop.  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me  that  ye 
might  hare  life.  Where  God  gives  the  will,  he  gives  also 
to  do  of  his  oion  good  pleasure,  Erskine's  Sermons,  vol. 
1,  p.  188."  And  again,  "Strength  to  believe  is  one  thing, 
and  to  believe  in  Christ  for  strength  is  another.  Strength  to 
believe  is  God's  enabling  one  to  the  act  of  faith  ;  but  to  believe 
for  strength  is  faith  acting  upon  Christ,  the  object  held  up  in 
the  word  of  promise."  Here  we  see  plainly,  that  the  use 
these  people  have  for  Christ  is,  to  give  them  strength  to  do 
something  towards  their  justification.  Here  we  see  their 
notion  of  faith  and  of  grace. 

I  shall  copy  a  few  more  of  the  words  which  the  author 
of  the  summary  proceeds  to  quote;   "  Let  us  sow  the   seeds; 


384  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VL 

I  mean,  let  us  store  our  minds  with  the  pure  and  precious  truths 
of  God,  and  acquaint  ourselves  with  those  things  which  are  to 
he  believed,  as  they  are  laid  before  us  in  the  oracles  of  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth.  Think  upon  Christ's  suretyship,  and  substitu- 
tion in  our  room,  etc.  These  are  some  of  the  materials  of 
faith  ;  faith  comes  by  hearing  of  these  things,  and  by  thinking 
and  meditating  upon  them.  You  have  as  good  ground  to 
expect  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  faith  in  this  way  and  method, 
as  ever  they  of  old  had  to  look  for  the  celestial  fire  to  come 
down  and  consume  their  sacrifices,  as  a  testimony  of  the 
Divine  acceptance,  when  they  had,  according  to  the  com- 
mand of  God,  done  what  was  incumbent  on  them  in  preparing 
their  materials.*  And  when  you  have  done  the  will  of  God 
in  this  matter  as  you  can,  you  must  hold  on,  even  though  you 
find  no  sensible  influence  concurring:  for  it  is  the  command 
of  God  in  his  word,  and  not  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  that 
is  the  rule  and  measure  of  your  duty.  And  if  you  continue 
doing  the  will  of  God  in  this  matter,  with  an  eye  to  him  who 
is  the  author  and  finisher  of  faith,  you  may  assure  yourselves, 
that  he  that  shall  come,  will  come,  and  put  his  hand  to  his 
own  work."     Sermon  on  Assurance  of  Faith. 

*  I  shall  here  copy  a  few  words  more  from  the  same  passages  from 
whence  Mr.  Cudworth  brings  the  above  quotation.  "AUhongh  the  act 
of  saving  faith  be  the  effect  of  the  Divine  power  and  grace,  yet  it  is  in 
the  power  of  nature,  by  a  common  concourse,  to  stock  and  store  the 
mind  with  those  things  which  are  the  seed  of  faith.  The  husbandman, 
though  he  cannot  make  one  grain  of  corn  to  grow,  yet  he  can  plough 
and  sow  his  ground  ;  and  when  he  has  done  his  part,  he  leaves  the  seed 
under  the  clod,  and  looks  up  to  heaven  for  the  waterings  of  the  former 
and  latter  rains :  and  accordingly  God,  for  ordinary,  crowns  his  endea- 
vours with  success,  making  the  heavens  to  hear  the  earth,  and  the  earth 
to  hear  the  corn,  whereby  it  brings  forth  ten,  twenty,  or  an  hundred  fold. 
So  here,  let  us  do  what  is  incumbent  on  us,  and  what  we  have  power 
in  an  ordinary  way  to  do  :  let  us  sow  the  seeds;  I  mean,  let  us  store  our 
minds  with  the  pure  and  precious  truths  of  God,  and  acquaint  ourselves 
with  those  things  which  are  to  be  believed,  as  they  are  laid  before  us  in 
the  holy  oracles  of  the  Scriptures  of  truth;  and,  having  thus  laid  in  the 
seed  into  the  ground  or  soil  of  our  hearts,  let  us  look  heavenward,  and 
wait  for  a  shower  of  the  Spirit's  influences,  according  to  that  word  of 
grace  or  promise,  Is.  xliv,  3,  /  tcill  pour  water  on  the  thirsty,  and  floods 
tipon  the  dry  ground.  You  know,  they  that  offered  sacrifices  of  old, 
though  they  could  not  make  fire  come  down  from  heaven  to  consume 
their  sacrifices ;  yet  they  could  fetch  the  bullock  out  of  the  stall,  or  the 
lamb  out  of  the  fold;  they  could  bring  it  to  the  altar,  and  bind  it  with 
cords  to  the  horns  of  the  altar;  they  could  gather  their  sticks,  and 
lay  in  proper  fuel ;  and  having  done  their  part,  they  looked  up  to  heaven 
for  the  celestial  fire  to  set  all  on  a  flame  together.  In  like  manner,  I  say, 
do  what  is  incumbent  on  you ;  gather  your  sticks,  lay  in  the  proper  fuel 
of  faith,  store  your  minds  with  the  materials  of  believmg,  which  you  are 
daily  reading  or  hearing  in  the  word,  &c. 


LIT.  VI.]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  385 

Is  it  possible,  after  what  we  have  seen,  for  any  one  to  ima- 
gine that  these  people  look  for  acceptance  with  God  only 
through  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  once  offered  for  the  sins  of 
many,  after  they  have  so  plainly  declared  the  contrary: 
after  we  have  heard  them  with  open  mouth  setting  up  in  its 
stead  another  sacrifice  of  their  own  preparing  and  offering  ? 
It  is  indeed  surprising,  that  Mr.  Cudworth,  and  his  friends 
in  communion,  should  have  chosen  in  the  public  profession 
of  their  faith,  the  very  passage  in  Mr.  Erskine's  sermons, 
wherein  he  betrays  more  evidently,  perhaps,  than  in  any 
other,  his  disaffection  to  the  true  atonement,  and  the  true 
grace  of  God  appearing  there. 

To  these  now  mentioned,  I  shall  only  add  one  other  notable 
promoter  of  the  popular  doctrine,  Mr.  Romaine,  whose  pic- 
ture may  clearly  be  seen  in  his  Practical  Comment  on  the 
107 ih  Psalm,  3d  edit.  Let  us  first  observe  with  what  dignity 
this  gentleman  struts  in  his  pulpit,  p.  109,  "And  can  none 
of  my  exhortations,  none  of  my  friendly  entreaties,  prevail 
with  you  to  rouse  up  and  to  look  into  your  own  hearts,  and 
to  examine  your  state  and  condition?  cannot  I  prevail?  if 
3'^ou  still  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  me,  O  blessed  Jesus,  I  will  then 
turn  to  thee.  Thou  God  of  love,  send  thy  good  Spirit 
upon  every  person  here  present,  on  whom  my  arguments 
have  made  no  impression,  and  show  them  the  dangerous 
malady  of  sin,  that,  feeling  the  pain  and  misery  of  it,  there 
may  be  raised  in  their  hearts  a  strong  cry  for  thy  salvation. 
And  may  our  most  adorable  God  now  work  in  you  this 
happy  change,  that  you  may  be  disposed  to  apply  for  your 
cure  to  the  great  physician  of  souls,"  Pages  131,  132, 
"  When  the  blessed  Jesus  invites,  when  he  presses  you  to 
accept  health  and  salvation  at  his  hands,  what  can  tempt  you 
to  reject  his  gracious  offer  ?  *  I  now  stand  up  in  his  name, 
and  by  his  authority  now  proclaim  these  tidings,  of  great  joy, 
I 'will  heal  their  hackslidings,  I  will  la ce  them  freely P 

Let  us  now  hear  him  farther  on  his  notion  of  grace.     Page 


*  Thus  it  would  seem  our  devotion  must  be  animated  by  the  consid- 
eration of  the  great  goodness  and  condescension  of  the  Deity,  manifested 
in  sending  nsthe  precious  person  of  a  clergyman,  as  his  representative, 
to  waste  his  lungs  for  an  hour  or  two  upon  us.  Thus  the  tlorist  has  his 
devotion  chiefly  animated  by  wliat  he  sees  of  the  Deity  in  a  tulip,  the 
astronomer  l)y  the  .stars,  the  virtuoso  by  shells  and  pel)bles,  the  man  of 
jjleasureby  beholding  every  divine  charm  in  the  fair  face  of  his  mistress. 

If  once  that  point  of  view  wherein  the  apostles  beheld  the  Deity  be  .set 
aside,  it  is  indeed  a  matter  of  great  indifference  which  of  these  be  nuide 
use  of  as  the  great  incentives  to  our  devotion- 
33 


386  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI- 

66,  "  And  if  you  find  any  prayer,  if  it  be  but  a  desire,  rising 
in  your  minds,  to  accept  of  full  and  free  redemption  through 
Jesus  Christ,  hear  how  comfortably  the  Holy  Spirit  exhorts 
you  to  apply  to  him  in  your  distress,  as  it  follows  in  the  6th 
verse :  Then  they  cried  unto  the  Lord  in  their  trouble,  and 
he  delivered  them  ant  of  their  distresses.  Page  84,  "  So 
soon  as  the  sinner  was  disposed  to  accept,  the  Saviour  was 
willing  to  bestow  free  and  full  redemption."  Page  118,  "  And 
the  first  sigh  that  comes  from  an  awakened  heart  pierces  the 
ears  of  our  gracious  God."  Page  180,  "  The  Psalmist  says, 
he  sent  waters  into  the  wilderness  to  change  its  nature ;  i.  e. 
he  sent  his  grace  into  our  hearts  to  change  their  nature,  to 
show  them  their  dead  and  barren  state,  to  make  them  sensible 
of  it,  distressed  under  it,  and  then  cry  to  him  for  deliverance. 
And  when  grace  has  thus  far  disposed  the  heart  aright,  and  it 
can  pray  for  more  grace ;  then  will  our  Lord  enrich  it  with 
abundant  streams ;  for  he  is  always  disposed  to  give  in  the 
measure  we  are  disposed  to  receive ;  and  if  we  hunger  and 
thirst  for  much,  he  has  promised  that  we  shall  be  filled. 

"  There  is  no  doctrine  of  Christianity  more  opposed  than 
this,  nor  any  at  present  more  ridiculed.  And  until  men  desire 
to  have  their  barren  hearts  changed,  it  must  sound  strange  to 
them  to  talk  of  the  necessity  of  doing  what  they  have  no  desire 
to  do." 

However  much  this  doctrine  may  be  ridiculed  by  those 
who,  led  more  by  sound  than  by  sense,  mistake  it  for  that 
preached  by  the  apostles ;  yet  we  have  good  reason  to  say, 
that  the  grace  here  maintained,  deserves  from  the  friends  of  the 
ancient  gospel  a  graver  censure  than  ridicule.  It  deserves  to 
be  treated  with  their  most  serious  indignation  ;  not  the  mali- 
cious indignation  of  extirpating  heresy-hunters,  but  that  honest 
indignation  which  always  becomes  the  humane  declaration  of 
saving  truth  when  opposed  to  pernicious  falsehood.  But  who 
can  help  them?  Who  can  pretend  to  undeceive  them  ?  They 
have  already  all  advantages.  They  lack  no  means  of  instruc- 
tion. They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  with  the  additional 
evidence  of  the  apostles:  if  they  will  not  hear  them,  what 
remains?  but — If  any  man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant. 
Let  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  and  every  man  stand  to  his  own 
hazard. 

By  comparing  the  doctrine  of  the  gentlemen  now  quoted, 
with  that  of  the  apostles,  one  may  have  a  very  good  notion  of 
the  difference  betwixt  ancient  Christianity,  and  that  which  is 
considered  by  many  devout  people  as  the  best  form  of  the 
modern. 


LET.  VI. J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  387 

Before  I  conclude  this  letter,  I  would  take  some  notice  of 
the  apostolic  account  of  charity,  which  I  have  hitherto  rather 
referred  to  in  general,  than  considered  particularly.  Charity 
is  a  sound  acceptable  to  all;  and  all  contending-  parties  are 
ready  to  reproach  each  other  with  the  want  of  it.  But  per- 
haps no  expression  is  more  constantly  used  in  opposition  to 
the  apostolic  sense  of  it  than  this. 

Paul  gives  us  the  most  particular  description  of  it  in  his  first 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  chap.  xiii.  After  having  shown  that 
all  gifts  and  virtues  wherein  a  man  may  excel  without  it,  are  of 
no  real  benefit  to  him,  he  proceeds  to  set  before  us  the  general 
tendency  of  it  in  these  words  :  Charity  suffercth  long,  and  is 
kind :  so  imitates  the  Divine  long-suffering  and  kindness 
toward  men.  Then  he  declares  what  it  is  opposed  to ; 
Charity  eiivieth  not,  charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  fvffed 
up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seekcth  not  her  own,  is  ?iot 
easily  'provoked,  [or  is  not  provoked  to  reve7ige,]  thinketh  [or 
deviseth]  no  evil. 

Thus  far  we  see  charity  opposed  to  pride,  and  the  various 
ways  wherein  men  are  influenced  and  conducted  thereby. 
Then  he  comes  to  show  positively,  wherein  the  peculiar  name 
consists,  what  is  the  hinge  on  which  it  turns,  or  what  is  the 
centre  of  its  delight.  He  says,  It  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity^ 
{ovyxaiptei  he  rr]  aXrjQeia,)  but  Tejoiccth  tvitk  the  trutk.  The  great 
truth,  that  God  is  well  pleased  in  his  beloved  Son,  proved  by 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  is  the  centre  of  the  joy  of 
charity.  The  apostle  amplifies  this  description,  by  giving 
us  to  understand,  that  charity  heareth  all  things  reported  in 
the  truth,  or  all  the  inspired  descriptions  of  it,  however  oppo- 
site to  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  so  counts  none  of  them 
hard  sayings,  or  unfit  to  be  borne ;  that  it  believeth  all  things 
imported  in  the  great  truth,  or  all  the  inferences  which  the 
apostles  have  deduced  from  it,  as  being  well  affected  to  the 
amiable  source  from  whence  they  flow;  that  it  hopcth  for  all 
things  promised  in  it,  and  endureth  all  things^  or  patiently 
suffers  all  the  afliictions  that  can  attend  a  steady  attachment 
to  it:  and  he  crowns  the  description  by  declaring,  that  charity 
never  failcth,  so  is  greater  than  its  temporary  companions, 
faith  and  hope. 

The  blessediKSs  of  God  consists  in  the  consciousness  of  his 
own  boundless  perfections.  These  are  fully  displayed  only 
in  the  atonement.  The  fulness  of  the  Divine  good-pleasure 
and  delight,  then,  can  only  be  manifested  there.  If  we  speak 
then  of  God  as  made  manifest  to  his  creatures,  we  must  say 
that  the  atonement  is  the  centre  of  his  delight.     This  is  also 


388  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

the  centre  of  the  joy  of  charity.  Charity,  then,  is  fellowship 
with  the  true  God  in  his  blessedness. 

Yea,  if  we  take  in  the  notion  of  Deity,  which  the  Scripture 
is  writ  to  exhibit,  we  must  say,  that  the  love  manifested  in  the 
atonement,  is  the  only  true  God  ;  and  that  there  is  no  God 
besides  that  love.  Thus  only  can  we  perceive  the  propriety 
of  the  Apostle  John's  words,  He  that  loveih  not,  knoweth  not 
God  ;  for  God  is  love. — He  that  dtcelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in 
God,  and  God  in  him.  And  he  sums  up  all  that  he  hath  to 
say  of  love  and  happiness  in  one  idea,  in  the  close  of  his 
epistle.  This  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life. 

The  sufferings  of  Christ,  with  the  glory  by  which  they 
were  crowned,  are  known  to  us  only  by  report.  Charity, 
then,  on  this  side  the  grave,  is  the  love  of  that  report.  So 
Peter  speaking  of  Christ  says,  "Whom  having  not  seen,  ye 
love  ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye 
rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

Charity  delights  in  the  character  of  the  true  God  drawn  in 
the  truth,  and  has  no  regard  for  any  other  though  drawn  by 
the  wisest  men,  and  applauded  by  multitudes. — Charity  does 
not  respect  men  for  any  of  those  things,  on  account  of  which 
one  man  glories  over  another ;  but  it  delights  in  all  who 
are  of  the  truth,  for  the  truth's  sake  dwelling  in  them. — 
Charity  has  a  sacred  regard  for  all  the  institutions  of  worship 
delivered  in  the  New  Testament,  as  baptism,  the  Lord's  day, 
and  the  several  ordinances  wherein  the  first  Christians 
continued  steadfastly  on  that  day ;  as  all  these  have  the  truth 
evidently  stamped  upon  them,  and  serve  to  bring  it  to  remem- 
brance, and  so  to  promote  the  happiness  resulting  from  it. 
But  it  has  no  regard  to  any  institutions  of  worship  founded  on 
the  traditions  or  commandments  of  men,  though  authorized 
by  the  grandest  assemblies  on  earth. — Charity  is  well  affected 
to  the  great  commandment  of  Jesus  Christ,  "  Love  one  another, 
as  I  have  loved  you ;"  and  to  all  the  services  and  expressions 
of  that  love  appointed  in  the  New  Testament,  however  ridicu- 
lous in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  But  it  has  no  reverence  for 
the  rules  of  holiness  devised  and  held  in  high  repute  by  this  or 
the  other  religious  party. — In  a  word,  charity  despises  all  the 
little  singularities  of  paities,  but  it  has  a  high  veneration  for 
the  public  statutes  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  all  serve 
to  promote  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Charity  bears  good-will  to  all  men,  and  is  ready  to 
do  th'^ra  good  as  opportunity  presents ;  but  its  joy  is  confined 
to  those  in  whom  the  truth  dwells.  We  may  see  in  Paul, 
who  was  an  eminent  pattern  of  charity,  how  it  rejoices  with 


LET.  VI.J  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  389 

the  truth.  Speaking-  of  his  self-denial  and  condescension 
toward  all  sorts  of  men,  to  recommend  the  gospel  to  their 
attention,  as  well  as  for  the  benefit  of  them  who  believed, 
he  says,  And  this  I  do  for  the  gospels  sake,  (iva  rvyKoivojvos 
avrov,Ycvaii.(ui^)  that  I  may  be  its  partner.  He  chose  to  join  in 
partnership  with  the  gospel,  and  to  run  all  risks  with  it  for  the 
salvation  of  mankind,  in  hopes  of  partaking  of  the  glory  pro- 
mised in  it.  So  he  says  in  another  place,  /  endure  all  things 
for  the  elects^  sakcs,  that  they  may  also  obtain  the  salvation 
lohich  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  with  eternal  glory.  Charity,  then, 
is  benevolent  toward  all  men  for  the  elects'  sakes,  as  knowing 
none  but  whom  God  may  save  by  bringing  them  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  So  its  benevolence  toward  all  men,  pro- 
ceeds from  the  joy  it  has  in  the  truth.  But  the  complacence 
of  charily  can  be  mutually  exercised  only  among  them  who 
love  the  truth.  Charity,  then,  is  the  imitation  of  the  Divine 
goodness.  God  shows  kindness  to  all,  making  his  sun  to 
rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sending  rain  on  the  just 
and  on  the  unjust;  but  he  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear 
him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy. 

Charity  contains  the  sum  of  all  holiness*  of  heart  and 
life.  No  action,  however  commendable,  no  character,  however 
highly  esteemed,  that  is  not  formed  upon  the  love  of  the  truth, 
can  be  well  pleasing  to  God.  All  love  to  the  truth  is  influ- 
enced by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  the  truth,  who  is  there- 
fore likewise  called  the  Spirit  of  love.  And  thus  we  see  the 
true  difference  betwixt  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  or  the  spirit  of  pride,  by  which  men  fortify  themselves 
in  their  disobedience  to  God,  and  flatter  one  another  down  to 
eternal  perdition. 

In  Paul's  description  of  charity,  iniquity  stands  opposed  to 
the  truth;  as  all  iniquity  proceeds  upon  falsehood,  or  the 
truth  of  God  changed  into  a  lie,  according  to  which  men  are 


*  All  sanctification  solely  springs  from  the  bare  truth,  so  mnch  set  at 
nought  by  our  predchei*s.  Jesus  Christ  said  in  his  prayer,  John  xvii, 
Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is  truth. — And  for  tJieir  sakes  I 
sanctify  nty.-ielf,  that  they  also  might  he  sanctified  through  the  truth.  Only 
by  this  truth  are  the  consciences  of  the  nnclean  sanctified,  and  encoura- 
ged to  draw  nigh  to  God.  Only  by  this  truth  is  the  heart  purified  from 
evil  adeetions,  for  obeying  the  new  commandment  of  love.  Only  by 
this  truth  do  men  overcome  the  world :  Wlto  is  he  that  overcometk  the 
icorld,  hut  hi:  that  helieieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  If  we  attend  to 
these  pas-ages  of  Scripture,  we  will  readily  be  disentangled  from  many 
volumes  of  nonsense  that  have  been  writ  by  many  famous  preachers  on 
sanctification. 


390  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

emboldened  to  sin  with  hopes  of  impunity.  In  the  profession 
of  Christianity,  all  iniquity  is  promoted  by  some  perversion 
of  the  gospel.  Thus  Jesus  Christ  foretold,  Many  false 
prophets  shall  arise,  and  shall  deceive  many ;  and  because 
iniquity  shall  abound,  the  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold. — 
And  Paul  speaking  of  the  great  apostacy,  as  prefigured  by 
ancient  idolatry,  calls  it  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  and  says  it 
comes  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness.  And  he 
declares,  that  it  comes  as  a  judgment  on  them  who  received 
not  the  love  of  the  truth; — but  had  2Jleasure  in  unrighteous- 
ness. Thus  we  have  an  extensive  view  of  his  account  of  cha- 
rity, as  it  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth. 
As  charity,  then,  always  holds  pace  with  the  truth,  and  keeps 
company  with  it  wherever  it  goe§;  so  it  is  very  jealous  in  its 
behalf,  as  finding  all  its  joy  in  it.  No  injury  can  be  done  to 
the  truth,  but  charity  feels  the  wound.  Christian  zeal  is 
nothing  else  but  the  fervency  of  charity ;  and  as  there  are 
many  counterfeits  of  the  truth,  so  there  are  likewise  of  charit3\ 
We  may  easily  know,  then,  what  sort  of  charity  any  man  has, 
by  inquiring  what  does  he  hold  for  truh,  or  what  is  his  justi- 
fying faith.  The  faith  of  some  is  nothing  else  but  a  good 
opinion  of  themselves,  as  helped  to  excel  others  by  something 
that  they  call  grace ;  and  they  maintain,  that  this  faith  is  the 
only  true  principle  of  holiness.  Whatever  charity,  then,  such 
people  pretend  to  be  influenced  by,  we  have  good  ground  to 
say,  that  ihey  are  influenced  by  the  spirit  of  pride,  and  that 
all  their  works  of  holiness  are  indeed  the  works  of  pride. — 
The  spirit  of  love  rejoices  only  in  the  works  of  Christ  and 
delights  to  imitate  them,  and  has  no  pleasure  either  in  the 
direct  or  reflex  acts  of  self-conceit,  wherein  the  spirit  of  pride 
delights  to  exercise  itself 

The  spirit  of  pride,  which  is  the  spirit  of  the  world,  under 
the  borrowed  name  of  charity,  always  opposes  the  truth. — 
Yea,  it  can  take  pleasure  in  anything  but  the  truth.  Among 
some  devout  people,  it  takes  the^name  of  catholic  charity ; 
among  the  more  fashionable,  that  of  universal  benevolence. 
But  whatever  name  it  assumes,  it  always  looks  wdth  an  evil 
eye  on  the  truth,  as  a  narrow  way  of  thinking,  exceedingly 
odious  to  it ;  and  whenever  it  smells  the  breath  of  ancient 
charity,  it  is  ready  to  oppose  it  with  the  same  temper  as  it  did 
of  old.  Say  ice  not  well,  that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast 
a  devil?  It  alwaj^s  charges  ancient  charity  with  some  ma- 
lignant disposition. 

The  profession  of  charity  must  proceed  on  some  profession 
of  the  faith.     Anciently  men  were  ackno\v lodged  as  Chris- 


LET.  VI  ]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  391 

tians,  or  objects  of  charity,  on  what  they  had  to  say  of  Christ, 
or  on  their  calling  Jesus  Lord.  The  Ethiopian  eunich  was 
acknowledged  for  a  Christian,  when  he  s;\id,  /  believe  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.  vVmong  many  devout  people 
now,  the  expression  of  mutual  charity  proceeds  on  some  such 
profession  as  this  :  "  Thus  and  thus  I  endeavoured,  and  was 
accordingly  assisted  ;  I  understand  the  case  is  the  same  with 
you :  I  sincerely  consider  you  as  a  gracious  person,  and  a 
good  Christian  ;  and  I  presume  you  can  think  no  less  of  me." 
Having  thus  founded  their  charity  toward  each  other,  they 
comfort  one  another  with  the  popular  doctrine  concerning  the 
perseverance  of  the  saints.  And  though  one  who  has  thus 
become  an  object  of  what  is  called  charity,  should  not  appear 
to  be  much  influenced  by  the  precepts  of  the  gospel,  nor  to 
enjoy  the  comfort  of  it,  yet  it  is  still  presumed  that  the  root 
of  the  matter  is  in  him.  Thus  the  spirit  of  the  world,  which 
always  fortifies  men  in  a  sense  of  their  own  importance, 
worth,  and  excellency,  speaks  comfort  to  thousands  walking 
in  the  broad  way  to  destruction. 

The  spirit  of  love,  as  it  works  in  them  that  believe,  leads 
them  to  a  careful  jealousy  over  each  other,  as  well  as  every 
one  to  be,  in  the  first  place,  jealous  over  himself  Charity 
delights  in  the  just  living  by  faith :  yet  it  is  ready  to  join 
with  God,  in  saying,  If  he  draio  bach,  my  soul  shall  have 
no  pleasure  in  hint.  The  language  of  charity  to  its  favourites 
may  be  thus  summed  up  :  "  If  ye  know  Christ,  as  I  am  bound 
by  your  profession  to  judge  ye  do,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  obey 
him."  Charity  regards  its  favourites  only  for  the  truth's 
sake  dwelling  in  them,  and  is  grieved  at  everything  about 
them  unbecoming  the  truth.  Hence  it  is  led  to  rebuke  them  ; 
and  when  they  repent,  so  return  to  the  truth,  to  forgive  them  ; 
and  if  they  repent  not,  to  reject  them  as  hypocrites  and  unbe- 
lievers. Here  I  am  reminded  of  some  lines  in  a  song,  which, 
after  addressing  charity  as  the  offspring  of  God,  proceeds 
thus : 

"  True  as  the  object  to  the  ^la.s.s, 

With  hiin  yoti  wake  your  fire, 
Frown  when  he  frowns,  hate  what  he  hates, 

And  what  he  loves,  desire.'' 

Charity  is  indeed  of  supernatural  birth.  It  learns  its  notions 
of  what  is  good  and  profitable  to  mankind,  not  fi  om  the  max- 
ims of  worldly  society,  the  duration  of  which  is  but  short, 
and  fast  draws  nigh  to  its  final  period  ;  consequently  all  its 
maxims  are  no  longer  of  any  significancy.  But  it  learns 
them  from  him  who  only  knows  the  true  interest  of  mankind  ; 


392  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  TI. 

from  him  who  made  of  one  hh)od  all  nations  of  men,  for  to 
dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  from  him  who  gave  his  Son 
to  take  part  in  flesh  and  blood  with  men  of  all  nations  with- 
out distinction.  Thus  charity  alone  knows  how  to  honour  all 
7nen,  and  to  disregard  all  the  little  distinctions,  on  account  of 
which  they  either  envy  or  undervalue  each  other.  All  the 
works  of  charity  serve  to  promote  the  interests  of  one  grand 
society,  arising  out  of  all  nations,  and  whose  union  will  not 
appear  till  the  final  dissolution  of  worldly  society.  That 
charity  which  seekelh  not  her  own,  can  give  no  just  cause  of 
umbrage  or  jealousy  to  any  party  contending  for  influence 
and  power  in  the  world.  As  charity  has  no  worldly  project 
in  view,  so  neither  has  it  any  baits  to  allure  the  passions  of 
men,  or  spirit  up  any  worldly  faction.  Yet  charity  promotes 
such  a  scheme  of  universal  benevolence,  as  always  did,  and 
ever  will,  while  this  world  lasts,  provoke  the  hatred  and  con- 
tempt of  all  lanks  of  men  in  every  nation,  as  was  both  exem- 
plified and  foretold  by  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  alone  Divine 
charity  shone  forth  in  perfection.  When  he  came  into  the 
world,  he  alone  truly  understood,  and  faithfully  pursued  what 
was  most  beneficial  to  mankind.  But  what  was  the  issue? 
All  ranks  thought  him  unworthy  to  live.  And  before  he 
died,  he  warned  his  disciples  never  to  expect  to  find  the  world 
in  a  better  temper  towards  them,  while  they  kept  his  word. 

No  works  but  those  of  charity  vvill  be  rewarded  in  the 
New  Jerusalem.  Worldly  society  can  never  want  baits 
sufficient  to  prompt  men  to  run  all  risks  in  its  service.  And 
if  it  has  not  sufficient  rcAvards  to  bestow  on  all  occasions, 
it  will  never  want  leaders  in  religion,  zealous  enough  to 
assign  happy  abodes  in  some  Elysian  field  or  other,  for  those 
whom  it  cannot  otherwise  reward.  And  such  leaders  will 
always  be  fondly  listened  to  while  worldly  society  lasts. 
Though  charity  does  not  fire  a  man's  breast  with  ambition, 
yet  it  can  never  make  him  a  bad  subject,  neighbour,  or 
member  of  worldly  society,  while  it  binds  him  to  venture  his 
life  at  the  command  of  those  in  authority,  and  while  it  will 
not  suffer  any  Christian  society  to  retain  a  member  who  is 
disaffected  to  the  sovereign.  And  as  no  cause  can  be  suffi- 
cient to  make  a  Christian  rebel  against  the  worst  govern- 
ment, he  must  have  a  grateful  affection  toward  one  which  is 
good  and  gentle. 

All  the  relations  formed  by  charity  are  eternal.  All  rela- 
tions, natural  or  civil,  shall  be  dissolved  when  the  fashion  of 
this  world  passes  away.  Marriage,  the  origin  of  all  natural 
relations  amongst  mankind,  shall  have  no  place  ia  the  world 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPaSIO.  393 

to  come.  But  no  tie  made  by  mutual  cliarity  can  ever  be 
loosed.  The  meanest  services  of  charity  will  turn  to  account 
in  the  world  to  come,  for  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget 
them.  Whereas,  the  works  which  make  the  most  shining 
figure  in  history,  as  of  greatest  account  to  worldly  societies, 
though  praised  by  cotemporaries  and  admired  by  posterity, 
shall  be  buried  in  oblivion  with  those  societies,  whose  praise 
was  their  proper  reward. 

Charity,  while  absent  from  the  grand  things  hoped  for,  has 
the  truth  for  its  companion  and  comforter,  while  it  labours  in 
self-denial  for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  holding  forth  the 
word  of  life  to  them  at  the  risk  of  their  greatest  displeasure. 
Charity  utters  with  delight  the  encouraging  sound.  He  that 
belicveth,  shall  be  saved ;  and  it  adds,  with  benevolent  con- 
cern, He  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  daviiicd;  that  men  may 
be  warned  in  time  of  their  real  danger.  Charity  respects 
the  meanest  peasant,  who  loves  the  truth,  as  a  prince  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  it  scruples  not  to  call  the  most 
eminently  devout  perverters  of  the  truth,  dogs,  evil  and  deceit- 
ful workers,  ministers  of  Satan  transformed  as  ministers  of 
righteousness,  &c.  It  were  easy  to  show  at  large,  and  illus- 
trate by  facts,  how  a  perverted  gospel  serves  to  promote,  in 
its  votaries,  a  temper  of  mind  the  reverse  of  charity,  or  such 
as  charity  is  all  along  opposed  to,  in  Paul's  description  of  it; 
as  that  it  leads  them  to  grudge  others  the  benefit  of  the  Divine 
long-suftering  and  kindness,  and  cherishes  the  root  of  envy, 
vaunting,  and  all  the  other  fruits  of  pride.     But, 

I  proceed  to  observe  the  hinge  of  that  charity  which  may 
properly  be  called  modern. 

Formerly  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  world  showed  '  elf, 
in  zealously  promoting  and  maintaining  uniformity  in  reli- 
gious opinions  and  practices.  To  be  convicted  of  what  was 
called  heresy,  was  worse  than  being  convicted  of  felony. 
Public  uniformity  was  the  hinge  of  charity.  And  nothing 
was  more  odious  or  heretical  in  the  eyes  of  this  charity,  than 
the  ancient  gospel. 

The  spirit  of  the  Christian  world  has  now,  for  some  time, 
been  working  upon  a  new  plan,  by  promoting,  among  people 
of  very  different  religious  persuasions,  a  friendly  intercom- 
munity of  charity  at  least,  if  not  of  worship  also.  As  this 
friendly  intercommunity  is  but  forming  as  3'et,  different  par- 
ties are  not  fully  agreed  on  what  common  foundation  it  ought 
to  rest ;  though  good  advances  are  already  made  toward  this 
agreement.  Hence  it  is,  that  we  have  as  yet  no  fixed  name 
or  title  for  this  common  foundation.     It  is  called  by  many, 


394  LKTTERS  ON  [LET.   YI. 

souncbiess  in  the  fundamcnlaU  of  religion.  In  Scotland  it 
is  commonly  called,  the  being  right  in  the  main.  It  is  true, 
the  more  nice  sort  of  people  are  apt  to  start  questions  about 
what  are  the  fundamentals,  or  wherein  does  the  main  of  reli- 
gion consist.  But  those  who  would  gain  the  greatest  repu- 
tation for  charity,  choose  to  hold  by  the  general  expressions, 
and  to  avoid  particular  explications  as  much  as  possible. 
Hence  the  pleasure  some  fawning  teachers  take,  in  speaking 
of  our  common  Christ'iaiiity. 

If  we  would  give  a  name  to  this  common  foundation,  suit- 
able to  what  is  aimed  at  by  different  parties,  we  must  call  it 
PIETY  TOWARD  THE  GODS.  This  piety  we  shall  find  is  the 
hinge  of  modern  charity.  For  modern  charity  is  not  so 
much  concerned  about  what  character  is  drawn  for  the 
Deity,  or  what  God  one  worships,  as  that  every  one  worship 
his  own  God  decently,  seriously,  or  with  piety,  without  speak- 
ing disrespectfully  of  that  of  his  neighbour.  This  charity,  as 
far  as  it  has  hitherto  taken  place,  is  as  much  disaffected  to 
the  ancient  gospel,  as  the  old  uniformity  was.  And  should 
the  friendly  intercommunity  of  this  charity  prevail  so  far  as 
to  carry  the  sword  on  its  side,  or,  according  to  Scripture 
style,  to  "  gather  together  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  their 
armies,"  as  they  were  formerly  gathered  together  in  behalf  of 
uniformity;  then  the  lovers  of  the  truth  may  expect  to  feel  the 
weight  of  its  vengeance,  unless  heaven  seasonable  interpose 
for  their  relief;  for  as  the  love  of  the  truth  will  always  pro- 
voke against  itself  the  charge  of  that  inhuman  and  unsociable 
temper,  that  inflexible  obstinacy,  that  hatred  and  aversion  to 
mankind,  with  which  it  was  reproached  from  the  beginning; 
it  must  remain  excluded  from  this  friendly  intercommunity, 
and  become  the  principal  butt  of  its  resentment. 

The  learned  author  of  The  Divine  Legation  of  MoseSj 
w^ho  has  described  the  friendly  intercommunity  of  worship 
amongst  the  ancient  Pagans,  likewise  shows,  how  that 
friendly  intercommunity  stood  affected  to  the  peculiar  preten- 
sions of  the  Jewish  and  Christian  religions.  I  shall  here 
quote  part  of  the  passage,  in  vol.  2,  book  2,  §  6,  p.  49,  &  seqq. 

'•  The  Pagan  world  having  early  imbibed  this  inveterate 
prejudice  concerning  intercommunity  of  worship,  men  were 
but  too  much  accustomed  to  new  revelations  when  the  Jewish 
appeared,  not  to  acknowledge  its  superior  pretences.  Ac- 
cordingly we  find,  by  the  history  of  this  people,  that  it  was 
esteemed  a  trne  one  by  its  neighbours.  And,  therefore,  they 
proceeded  in  their  usual  way  to  join  it,  on  occasion,  with 
their  own;  as  those  did  whom  the  king  of  Assyria  sent  into 


LET.  VI.]  TIIERON  AND  ASPASIO.  395 

the  cities  of  Israel  in  the  place  of  the  ten  tribes.  Whereby 
it  happened,  (so  great  was  the  influence  of  this  principle,) 
that,  in  the  same  time  and  country,  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem 
added  the  Pagan  idolatries  to  their  religion,  while  the  Pagans 
of  Samaria  added  the  Jewish  religion  to  their  idolatries. 

"  But  when  these  people  of  God,  in  consequence  of  having 
their  dogmatic  theology  more  carefully  inculcated  to  them, 
after  their  return  from  the  captivity,  became  rigid,  in  pretend- 
ing not  only  that  their  religion  was  true,  but  the  only  true 
one :  then  it  was,  that  they  began  to  be  treated  by  their 
neighbours,  and  afterwards  by  the  Greek  and  Romans,  with 
the  utmost  hatred  and  contempt,  for  this  their  inhumanity 
and  unsociable  temper.  To  this  cause  alone  we  are  to 
ascribe  all  that  spleen  and  rancour  which  appears  in  the  his- 
tories of  these  latter  nations  concerning  them.  Celsus  fairly 
reveals  what  lay  at  bottom,  and  speaks  out  for  them  all.  "  If 
the  Jews,  on  these  accounts,  adhere  to  their  own  law,  it  is  not 
for  that  they  are  to  blame.  I  rather  blame  those  who  for- 
sake their  own  country  religion,  to  embrace  the  Jewish.  But 
if  these  people  give  themselves  airs  of  sublimer  wisdom  than 
the  rest  of  world,  and  on  that  score  refuse  all  communion 
with  it,  as  not  equally  pure ;  I  must  tell  them  that  it  is  not  to 
be  believed,  that  they  are  more  dear  or  agreeable  to  God  than 
other  nations."  Hence,  amongst  the  Pagans,  the  Jews  came 
to  be  distinguished  from  all  other  people,  by  the  name  of 
GENUS  HOMiNUM  iNvisuM  DEIS,  and  with  good  reason. 

"  This  was  the  reception  the  Jews  met  with  in  the  world, 
&c. 

"  When  Christianity  arose,  though  on  the  foundation  of 
Judaism,  it  was  at  first  received  with  great  complacency  by 
the  Pagan  world.  The  gospel  was  favourably  heard,  and 
the  superior  evidence  with  which  it  was  enforced,  inclined 
men,  long  habituated  to  pretended  revelations,  to  receive  it 
into  the  number  of  the  established.  Accordingly,  we  find 
one  Roman  emperor  introducing  it  among  his  closet  reli- 
gions, and  another  proposing  to  the  senate  to  give  it  a  more 
public  entertainment.  But  when  it  was  found  to  carry  its 
pretensions  higher,  and  to  claim,  like  the  Jewish,  the  title  of 
the  ONLY  TRUE  ONE,  thcu  it  was  that  it  began  to  incur  the 
same  hatred  and  contempt  with  the  Jewish.  But  when  it 
went  still  farther,  and  urged  a  necessity  for  all  men  to  forsake 
their  own  national  religions,  and  embrace  the  gospel,  this  so 
shocked  the  Pagans,  that  it  soon  brought  upon  itself  the 
bloody  storms  which  followed.     Thus  you  have  the  true 


396  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

origin  of  persecution  for  religion ; — a  persccuiion  not  com- 
mitted,'but  undergone  by  the  Christian  church. 

"  Hence  wo  see  how  it  happened,  that  such  good  emperors, 
as  Trajan  and  M.  Antonine,  came  to  be  found  in  the  first  rank 
of  persecutors :  A  difficulty  that  hath  very  much  embarrassed 
the  inquirers  into  ecclesiastical  antiquity,  and  given  a  handle 
to  the  Deists,  who  impoison  every  thing,  of  pretending  to  sus- 
pect that  there  must  be  something  very  much  amiss  in  primi- 
tive Christianity,  while  such  wise  magistrates  could  become 
its  persecutors.  Butnow  the  reason  is  manifest.  The  Chris- 
tian pretences  overthrew  a  fundamental  principle  of  Pagan- 
ism, which  they  thought  founded  in  nature,  namely,  the 
fTiendly  intercommunity  of  icorship.  And  thus  the  famous 
passage  of  Pliny  the  younger  becomes  intelligible.  "  For 
I  did  not  in  the  least  hesitate,  but  that  whatever  should  appear 
on  confession  to  be  their  faith  ;  yet  that  their  frowardness,  and 
inflexible  obstinacy,  would  certainly  deserve  punishmen\" — 
What  was  the  injlexible  obstinacy  ?  It  could  not  be  in  pro- 
fessing a  new  religion  ;  that  was  a  thing  common  enough. 
It  was  the  refusing  all  communion  with  Paganism,  refusing 
to  throw  a  grain  of  incense  on  their  altars.  For  we  must 
not  think,  as  is  commonly  imagined,  that  this  was  at  first 
enforced  by  the  magistrate,  to  make  them  renounce  their 
religion  ;  but  only  to  give  a  test  of  its  hospitality  and  socia- 
bleness  of  temper.  It  was  indeed,  and  rightly  understood  by 
the  Christians  to  be  a  renouncing  of  their  religion,  and  so 
accordingly  abstained  from.  The  misfortune  was,  that  the 
Pagans  did  not  consider  the  inflexibility  as  a  mere  error,  but 
as  an  immorality  likewise.  The  unsociable,  uncommunicable 
temper,  in  matters  of  religious  worship,  was  esteemed  by  the 
best  of  them  as  a  hatred  and  aversion  to  mankind.  Tacitus, 
speaking  of  the  burning  of  Rome,  Haud  perinde  in  crimine 
incendii  quam  odio  human  igeneris  convicti  funt  [Chris- 
tiani.]  Convicted,  he  says,  of  hate  to  all  mankind.  But 
how  ?  The  confession  of  the  Pagans  themselves,  concerning 
the  purity  of  the  Christian  morals,  shows  this  could  be  no 
other  than  a  conviction  of  their  rejecting  all  iniercommu- 
nity  of  icorship ;  which,  so  great  w^as  their  prejudice,  they 
thought  could  proceed  from  nothing  but  hate  to  m.ankind. — 
The  like  character  the  same  historian  gives  of  the  Jews : 
Apud  ipsos  FIDE  OBSTiNATA,  scd  adversus  omnes  alios  hos- 
tile ODIUM.  Now,  the  Jews  and  Christians  had  nothing 
in  common,  but  this  unsociable,  uncommunicable  temper  in 
religious  matters,  this  obstinata  fides,  which  gave  so  much 
oiTence  to  Paganism.      We  are  not  to  imagine  these  excel- 


L  :T.  VI. ]  TIIKRON  AND  ASPASIO.  397 

lent  Pagan  moralists  so  blind,  as  not  see  all  the  merit  of  a 
firm  and  fixed  rcsolutio/i  of  keeping  n  good  conscience.  They 
did  see  and  own  it,  as  appears  by  the  famous  juatum  et  tena- 
ceni  propositi  virum,  &c.,  of  one  of  their  moral  poets.  But, 
unluckily  for  truth,  they  did  not  see  the  penncacia  et  inflexi- 
bilis  obslinatio  of  the  Christians  in  that  light;  though  it  was 
nothing  more  than  such  3.  fixed  resolution,  as  one,  who  most 
severely  censured  them  for  it,  the  good  Emperor  Marcus  An- 
tonius,  fairly  confesses.  In  his  book  of  Meditations,  speak- 
ing of  a  wise  man's  readiness  to  die,  he  says,  "  He  should 
be  so  prepared,  that  his  readiness  may  be  seen  to  be  the  effect 
of  a  well-weighed  judgment,  not  of  mere  obstinacy,  like  that 
of  the  Christians.''  This  is  a  heavy  charge  on  the  primitive 
martyrs.  But  he  himself  removes  it  in  his  constitution  to 
the  community  of  Asia,  given  us  by  Eusebius.  "  I  know," 
says  he,  "the  gods  are  watchful  to  discover  such  sort  of  men  ; 
for  it  is  much  more  fit,  that  they  themselves  should  punish 
those  who  refuse  to  worship  them,  than  that  we  should  inter- 
fere in  it."  Why  then  was  it  called  mere  obstinacy  ?  The 
reason  is  seen  above.  Universal  prejudice  had  made  men 
regard  a  refusal  of  this  intercommunity,  as  the  most  brutal  of 
all  dissociability.  And  the  Emperor  Julian,  who  understood 
this  matter  the  best  of  any,  fairly  owns,  that  the  Jews  and 
Christians  brought  the  execration  of  the  world  upon  them, 
by  their  aversion  to  the  gods  of  Paganism,  and  their  refusal 
of  all  communication  with  them." 

Thus  flir  the  learned  author.  Now,  that  much  the  like 
case  to  what  is  here  represented,  may  take  place  among  men 
wearing  the  common  name  of  Christians  will  appear  no 
way  improbable  to  one  who  will  only  take  time  to  reflect, 
what  an  obnoxious  figure  any  small  number  of  ministers,  in 
either  of  our  national  churches  would  make,  who  should 
agree,  with  proper  spirit  and  zeal,  to  maintain,  not  to  say  the 
ancient  gospel,  but  the  plain,  obvious,  first  intended  sense  of 
their  own  public  standards  of  doctrine,  and  insist  upon  a  credi- 
ble profession  of  hearty  adherence  to  that  sense,  as  the  terms 
on  which  they  admitted  any  to  hold  communion  with  them  in 
the  sacred  institutions.  It  will  be  allowed,  I  dare  say,  that 
their  situation  in  the  national  church  would  be  very  uncom- 
fortable, as  well  as  cxtremel}'-  ritliculous;  for  modern  charity 
would  soon  awaken  many  enemies  against  them,  to  distress 
and  misrepresent  them  in  various  respects. 

Here  I  must  acknowledge  it  to  be  a  thing  somewhat  new, 
to  seethe  cause  of  modern  charity  supported  in  volumes,  pro- 
fessedly written  to  recommend  the  imputed  righteousness,  or 
34 


398  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  wherein  the  much  insulted 
doctrine  of  the  sovereignty  of  Divine  grace  is  oftener  than 
once  strongly  asserted.  On  this  last  article,  which  has  the 
closest  connection  with  the  former,  I  shall  here  quote  a  very 
bold  passage  from  vol.  1,  p.  284,  and  seqq.  "believe  me,  my 
dear  friend,  salvation,  both  in  the  root  and  all  its  branches  is 
entirely  of  grace  ;  or  else  believe  me,  for  the  many  cogent 
testimonies  of  Scripture,  which  most  circumstantially  ascer- 
tain this  great  truth.  Election  is  of  grace  :  "  Having  pre- 
destinated us  unto  the  adoption  of  children,  not  on  account  of 
human  worthiness,  but  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his 
will. — Equally  gratuitous  is  our  effectual  vocation :  "  God 
hath  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our 
works,  but  according  to  his  purpose  and  grace." — Faith  is 
owing  to  the  same  cause  :  "  By  grace  ye  are  saved,  through 
faith." — from  hence  springs  justification:  "Being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace." — This  is  the  origin  of  regeneration  : 
"  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  by  the  word  of  truth." — The 
consummation  of  bliss  flows  from  the  same  all-supplying 
source  :  "*  The  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life."  It  is  in  every  respect 
a  gift;  not  only  without,  but  contrary  to  all  desert  of  ours 
So  that  the  foundation  is  laid  in  the  riches  of  grace ;  the 
superstructure  is  reared  by  the  hand  of  grace,  and  when  the 
top-stone  is  brought  forth,  when  our  felicity  is  completed  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  everlasting  acclamation  will  be, 
Grace,  grace  unto  it ! 

"  This  is  that  glorious  gospel,  which  human  learning  could 
never  have  discovered ;  which  carnal  reason  cannot  under- 
stand; which  the  wisdom  of  this  world  accounteth  foolish- 
ness ;  which  the  envy  of  the  devil,  and  the  pride  of  man, 
will  always  oppose." 

What  pity  is  it  that  these  sentiments  did  not  bear  sway 
throughout  the  Dialogues,  and  to  find  that  Theron's  conver- 
sion is  carried  forward  in  such  a  manner,  as  if  the  reverse 
were  true!  But  this  is  not  my  present  purpose.  What  I 
presently  think  strange  is,  that  one  who  avows  the  sentiments 
now  quoted,  should  join  in  the  friendly  and  affectionate  alli- 
ance of  charity,  with  such  as  he  himself  perceives  opposing 
the  imputed  righteousness,  and  with  the  most  open  and 
determined  enemies  of  the  Divine  sovereignty.  After  this, 
I  own,  I  need  not  be  greatly  surprised  at  finding  him  likewise 
discovering  a  loathness  to  exclude  from  the  friendly  alliance, 
even  the  philosophers  described  by  Paul  in  the  beginning 
of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans. — But  may  I  not  here  be  allowed 
to  put   the   question,  "  What   communion   hath  light  with 


LET.  Yl]  THERON  AND  ASPA9I0.  399 

darkness  ?  and  what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial  ?"  Or 
what  delight  can  charity  take  in  "  the  envy  of  the  devil,  and 
the  pride  of  man  ?" 

It  was  probably  by  observing  this  sociable  temper  in  the 
author  of  the  Dialogues,  that  a  friend  of  his  was  induced  to 
vindicate  him  from  the  odious  aspersion,  of  being  a  lover  of 
the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity,  asserted  in  the  above 
quoted  passage,  by  alleging  in  his  behalf,  that  though  he 
does  indeed  adopt  these  doctrines,  yet  it  is  evident  he  does  not 
lay  much  stress  upon  them :  or,  to  give  the  words  of  that 
friend,  "Of  whatever  consequence  he  may  think  them  to  the 
true  comfort  of  Christians,  it  is  evident  he  does  not  hold  them 
to  be  of  the  same  importance  with  these  here  mentioned, 
which  are  necessary  to  the  very  being  of  true  Christianity," 
viz.  the  doctrines  approved  by  this  friend  in  the  former  part 
of  his  paper.*  It  might  well  have  been  expected,  that  love 
to  the  truth  would  have  resented,  in  a  proper  manner,  the 
offices  of  such  a  friend,  however  kind  they  might  seem. — 
But  I  have  not  as  yet  heard,  w'hether  any  such  resentment 
has  been  shown. 

I  shall  now  give  some  instances  of  the  charitable  esteem 
expressed  for  particular  writers  in  the  Dialogues  and  in  the 
Meditations.  For  as  I  find  nothing  said  in  the  latter  revoked 
in  the  former,  I  may  be  Avell  allowed  to  consider  them 
together. 

I  shall  first  observe  the  respect  paid  to  the  author  of  Night 
Thoughts  and  his  writings.  For  I  suppose  we  understand 
each  other  all  along  to  judge  of  particular  writers,  only  as 
they  appear  in  their  writings.  The  two  following  lines, 
which  breathe  the  very  sentiments  and  style  of  the  spirit  of 
self  dependence,  may  Avell  be  considered  as  the  motto  of  this 
author. 

"  O  be  a  vian  !  and  thou  phalt  be  a  God ! 
And  half  self-made  ! ambition  how  divine  !" 

It  would  be  tedious  to  note  all  the  commendations  of  the 
Night  Thoughts,  both  in  the  Dialogues  and  in  the  Medita- 
tions. I  shall  only  quote  what  is  said  in  the  first  volume  of 
the  latter,  at  the  close  of  a  note  at  the  foot  of  p.  87  ;  "  These 
thoughts  give  the  highest  entertainment  to  the  fancy,  and 
impart  the  noblest  improvement  to  the  mind.  They  not  only 
refine  our  taste,  but  prepare  us  for  death,  and  ripen  us  for 
glory.    I  never  take  up  this  admirable  piece,  but  I  am  ready 

*  See  London  Magazine  for  September  1755,  p.  425. 


400  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  TI. 

to  cry  out,  Tecum  viverc  amem,  tecum  obeam  lihe?is,  i.  e. 
Inspire  me  with  such  a  spirit,  and  life  shall  be  delightful,  nor 
death  itself  unwelcome." 

The  author  of  these  thoughts  does  indeed  speak  many- 
grand  things  concerning  the  atonement ;  but  as  he  evidently 
makes  them  all  subservient  to  human  pride,  his  leading 
scope  can  deserve  no  more  regard  from  a  Christian,  than  the 
testimony  of  him  who  said,  /  knotv  thee  who  thou  art,  the 
holy  one  of  God. 

1  shall  next  glance  at  Dr.  Lucas's  Inquiry  after  Happiness. 
In  p.  126,  of  part  1,  Edinburgh,  1754,  he  says,  "That  God 
so  governs  the  world,  that  the  issues  of  things  are  not  fatal 
and  unavoidable,  but  dependent  upon  ourselves." 

In  p.  137,  after  some  previous  reasoning,  he  says,  "  These, 
with  many  others,  are  the  absurd  consequences  which  attend 
the  denial  of  the  universality  or  sufficiency  of  grace ;  but  if, 
on  the  other  hand,  we  do  grant  that  God  Almighty  is  ready 
to  assist  every  man  who  calls  on  him  in  his  endeavours  after 
virtue  and  happiness,  and  that  his  assistance  is  sufficient  to 
the  end  for  w'hich  it  is  designed,  then  w^e  must  needs  acknow- 
ledge that  man  can  do  what  he  can  do ;  or,  which  is  all  one, 
what  God  has  put  in  his  power  to  do." 

In  p.  166,  while  he  is  labouring  to  show  the  possibility  of 
attaining  happiness  in  this  life,  he  supposes  an  objection  will 
arise  from  these  words  of  the  gospel.  If  any  ma,n  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me,  Matt,  xvi, 
24.  He  acknowledges,  that  obedience  to  this  precept  was 
indispensably  necessary  to  the  propagation  of  the  gospel ;" 
immediately  adding,  "  But,  blessed  be  God,  the  obligation  of 
that  duty  has  long  ago  ceased."*  This  specimen  sufficiently 
shows  the  spirit  of  this  author.  Let  us  now  hear  the  enco- 
mium given  both  to  the  author  and  his  performance,  in  a 
note  at  the  foot  of  p.  52,  Meditations,  vol.  1,  "  An  author,  in 
whom  the  gentleman,  the  scholar,  and  the  "Christian,  are 


*  According  to  this  author,  and  many  others,  we  are  much  indebted 
to  the  first  Christians  for  eutTering  that  we  might  reign,  or  enjoy  a  reU- 
gion  suited  to  all  our  worldly  interests.  I  have  heard  of  an  eminent  pre- 
late of  the  Roman  church,  who  said  to  his  fellow,  O  quanlinn  prqfiiit  nobis 
hccc  fuhula  dc  Jcsu  Christo  !  "  What  a  fund  of  gain  to  us  has  this  fahle 
about  Jesus  Christ  been  !" — Here  I  am  reminded  of  a  remark  writ  me 
by  a  reader  of  the  Meditations  and  Dialogues,  on  the  author's  scheme,  in 
these  words :  "  His  scheme  .-petdvs  liule  of  bearing  the  hatred  of  the 
world  after  Christ,  and  as  little  of  the  Christian  hope,  seeming  to  be 
adapted  to  men  enjoying  worldly  ease  and  wealth." — I  could  wish  that 
■ix\[  occasion  for  any  such  remarks  had  been  eliectually  cut  oft'. 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  401 

most  happily  united. — A  performance,  which,  in  point  of 
solid  argument,  unaffected  piety,  and  a  vein  of  thought  amaz- 
ingly fertile,  has,  perhaps,  no  superior;  nor  can  I  wish  my 
reader  a  more  refined  pleasure,  or  a  more  substantial  happi- 
ness, than  that  of  having  the  sentiments  of  this  entertaining 
and  pathetic  writer,  wove  into  the  very  texture  of  his  heart." 

What  shall  we  say  of  the  charity  breathing  here?  Does  it 
proceed  from  the  same  mouth  which  praises  the  Divine  grace  1 
"  Doth  a  fountain  send  forth  at  the  same  place  sweet  water 
and  bitter  ?"  Must  not  the  reader  be  tempted  to  think,  indeed, 
that  he  who  maintains  the  ancient  doctrine  of  grace  in  this 
connection,  does  not  la}^  very  great  stress  upon  it?  Yea,  what 
would  Mess.  Boston  and  Erskines  have  said  to  the  proposal  of 
uniting  together  in  the  same  heart,  their  avowed  sentiments  of 
grace,  with  those  of  the  two  gentlemen  we  have  been  now 
considering?  Would  not  the  former  have  charged  the  latter 
with  gross  heresy,  and  judged  them  worthy  of  extirpation  ? — 
Surely  we  must  allow,  that  no  two  Pagan  gods  differed  more 
than  the  different  characters  drawn  for  the  Deity  by  these 
Christian  teachers.  Is  the  popular  doctrine,  then,  which  has 
so  long  claimed  the  title  of  orthodoxy,  now  disposed  to  hold 
forth  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  her  eminent  adversary, 
with  whom  she  has  so  long  waged  war  ? 

I  shall  now  take  notice  of  the  respect  paid  to  the  author  of 
the  Family  Expositor.  Mediations,  vol.  1,  p.  147,  in  a  note 
at  the  foot  of  the  page,  he  is  called  "  a  masterly  expositor, 
who  has  illustrated  the  life  of  our  blessed  Lord,  in  the  most 
elegant  taste  of  criticism ;  with  the  most  amiable  spirit  of 
devotion,  and  without  any  mixture  of  the  malignant  leaven, 
or,  low  singularities  of  a  party." 

In  the  second  volume  of  the  Dialogues,  at  the  foot  of  p. 
378,  and  379,  we  have  two  notes  on  these  words  of  Paul ; 
"  The  Gentiles  which  followed  not  after  righteousness  have 
attained  to  righteousness,*  even  the  righteousness  which  is 
offaith."t 

*  "  Surely  this  must  signify  more,  than  "  attaining  to  the 
profession  of  a  religion  whereby  they  may  be  justified  and 
saved."  To  this  multitudes  attain,  who  continue,  as  the 
prophet  speaks,  "stout-hearted  and  far  fiom  righteousness;" 
who  derive  no  real  benefit  from  their  profession,  but  are  ren- 
dered utterly  inexcusable  and  liable  to  more  aggravated  con- 
demnation.' 

t  'Surely,  "the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith,"  cannot 
consist  'in  humbly  committing  the  soul  to  Christ,  in  the  way 
that  he  hatb  appointed.'  According  to  this  notion,  the  justi- 
34* 


402  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

fying  righteousness  would  spring  from  ourselves,  would  be 
constituted  by  an  act  of  our  own,  and  not  by  the  perfect  obe- 
dience of  our  Lord. 

"  1  am  sorry  to  see  this,  and  the  preceding  interpretation,  in 
the  works  of  an  Expositor,  whose  learning  I  admire,  whose 
piety  I  reverence,  and  whose  memory  I  honour.  Yet  I 
must  say  on  this  occasion,  with  one  of  the  ancient  philosophers, 
Amicus  Plato,  amicus  Socrates,  sed  magis  arnica  veritasJ^ 

It  gives  me  some  satisfaction  to  see  the  faith  and  righteous- 
ness of  this  author  justly  discarded  and  set  at  nought.  But 
this  would  only  serve  to  puzzle  me  the  more,  to  find  the  reason 
why  charitable  esteem  is  expressed  for  him,  were  I  not  in- 
formed by  these  Avords,  "  whose  piety  I  reverence."  But 
what  piety  ?  Surely  not  Christian  piety :  for  even  the  popular 
doctrine  will  assert,  that  unfeigned  faith  is  the  only  principle 
of  all  the  true  holiness  or  piety.  It  must  then  be  modern  piety, 
or  the  modern  imitation  of  ancient  Pagan  piety.  For  it  may 
well  be  allowed,  that  this  author  worshiped  his  own  God 
decentl}',  without  showing  any  unsociable  or  malignant  tem- 
per toward  that  of  his  neighbours.  But  it  can  never  be 
allowed,  while  we  pay  any  regard  to  the  New  Testament, 
that  he  worshiped  the  same  God  with  Paul. — This  piety 
is  the  broad  foundation  of  modern  charity;  but  I  am  appre- 
hensive, that  the  ancient  charity,  with  its  peculiar  practices, 
would  appear,  in  the  eyes  of  the  modern,  liable  to  be  charged 
with,  "  malignant  leaven,  or  the  low  singularities  of  a  party." 

Piety,  in  the  large  sense,  is  now  the  reputable  word  in 
every  one's  mouth,  except  those  who  are  at  the  very  top  of  the 
fashion,  who  profess  atheism,  or  to  worship  no  other  God 
but  their  own  honour  or  favourite  pleasure.  Accordingly, 
our  guardians  of  devotion,  while  they  set  themselves  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  irreligion  or  atheism  of  the  age,  endeavour  to 
awaken  our  attention  to,  and  raise  our  esteem,  of  the  piety  of 
the  ancient  philosophers,  whom,  by  the  by,  Dr.'  Warburton 
has  shown  to  have  been  no  better  than  atheists.  And  while 
they  set' before  us  the  pious  sayings  of  these  wise  men,  in  order 
to  heighten  our  devotion,  they  produce  so  many  passages  from 
the  Psalms  of  David,  or  other  parts  of  Scripture,  as  more  sub- 
lime sayings  of  the  same  kind  with  the  former.  And  withal 
they  condescend  to  add  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  in  such  a 
manner,  as  plainly  shows,  that  they  have  no  other  use  for  it 
but  to  throw  a  dash  of  popularity  into  their  devotion,  or  to 
pay  some  decent  respect  to  the  religion  of  their  country  ;  yea, 
in  such  a  manner,  as  plainly  shows,  that  if  they  lived  m  Asia, 
or  the  east  of  Europe,  they  would  make  the  same  use  of  the 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  403 

name  of  Mahomet.  We  shall  even  find  Christian  teachers 
admiring  the  piety  of  the  Emperor  Marcus  Antoninus,  wlio 
persecuted  Christians  unto  death  for  their  piety  :  and  as  if  tliis 
had  been  too  small  an  expression  of  his  resentment,  his  philoso- 
phic piety  led  him  to  insult  that  joyful  constancy  appearing  in 
their  suiferings,  which  he  himself  was  greatly  straitened 
how  to  account  for. 

But  whatever  these  men  do,  one  would  have  expected,  that 
in  volumes,  wherein  the  grand  article  of  the  imputed  righte- 
ousness was  to  make  the  principal  figure,  the  author  would 
have  made  no  hesitation,  whether  he  should  heartily  agree 
with  Paul's  account  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  or  be  either 
intimidated  or  caressed  by  their  modern  successors  and  ad- 
mirers, to  strike  into  some  doubtful  middle  path. 

In  Dialogues,  vol.  2,  the  note  at  the  foot  of  p.  97,  begins 
thus  ;  "  Though  I  love  and  admire  the  character  of  Socrates, 
yet  I  cannot  approve  the  whole  of  his  conduct.  One  thing 
which  gives  me  particular  offence,  is,  the  habitual  practice 
of  siveari?ig,  which  occurs  in  all  his  conferences  with  his 
pupils." 

Ibid.  p.  201,  Aspasio  had  said,  "Even  theiv  philosophers^ 
the  most  improved  and  penetrating  geniuses,  were  unac- 
quainted with  the  very  first  principle  of  true  religion.  Even 
they  could  not  pronounce,  with  an  unfaultering  tongue,  That 
God  is  ONE."  The  note  below  has  these  words;  "A  learned 
and  ingenious  friend  would  fain  have  Socrates  exempted  from 
this  charge.  I  wish  I  could  gratify  his  benevolent  temper, 
and  spare  rhat  amiable  philosopher.  But,  however  justly  he 
may  express  himself  on  some  occasions,  at  other  times  he 
wavers  ;  he  evidently  revolts,  and  is  most  pitiably  inconsistent 
with  himself. — Even  in  his  excellent  conference  with  Aristo- 
demus,  where  he  argues  admirably  well  for  the  existence,  he 
cannot  steadily  adhere  to  the  unity  of  the  Godhead. — Nay, 
in  his  last  solemn  apology  before  his  judges,  he  publicly 
renounces  the  truth ;  declares,  that  he  worshiped  those  gods 
which  were  acknowledged  by  his  countrymen  ;  worshiped 
them,  and  no  other,  on  the  same  festivals,  at  the  same  altars, 
and  in  the  same  [idolatrous]  manner. 

Let  none  conclude  from  this  or  any  other  passage,  that  we 
would  consign  over  all  the  heathens  to  damnation.  This  is 
as  far  from  our  intention,  as  it  is  foreign  to  the  argument. 
We  are  only  like  witnesses  summoned  to  give  in  our  evidence. 
From  which  it  appears,  that  the  very  best  among  the  Gentiles 
were  ignorant  of  the  true  God:  or,  ii  they  knew  him  in  any 
degree,  "they  glorified  him  not  as  God;  but  became  vain  in 


404  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  TI. 

their  imaginations,"  and  vile  in  their  worships — Whether 
they  shall  obtain  mercy,  or  which  of  them  shall  be  objects 
of  Divine  clemency,  is  left  soleb/  to  the  determination  of  their 
supreme,  unerring,  righteous  Judge  ; 

— "  Non  nostrum  est  tantas  componere  lites." 

Though  nothing  is  more  common,  yet  nothing  is  more 
foreign  to  the  gospel,  than  for  men  to  expect  from  each  other's 
complaisance  or  benevolence,  the  mutual  returns  of  charity, 
or  to  be  acknowledged  as  objects  of  the  Divine  favour.  A 
cheerful  good-natured  man  will  be  liberal  of  his  pleasantry 
and  good  humour  to  all  around  him  ^  but  if  he  love  the  gos- 
pel, he  will  not  dare  to  pronounce  his  most  acceptable  com- 
rade more  agreeable  to  God,  than  he  sees*  his  heart  and  life 
agreeable  to  the  gospel.  The  gospel  will  lead  a  man  to  be 
kind  and  obliging  to  his  neighbour,  as  to  all  things  within 
his  power ;  but  for  one  to  pretend  to  dispose  of  either  the 
smiles  or  frowns  of  the  Almighty,  is  impious :  and  to  do  the 
former  is  of  more  pernicious  consequence  to  men  than  the 
latter,  for  men  are  often  hurt,  yea,  and  utterly  ruined,  by 
flattery  or  false  charity.  But  on  the  other  hand,  he  who 
enjoys  the  favour  of  the  true  God,  has  that  joy  which  no 
man  can  take  from  him  by  any  anathema  whatsoever.  When 
one  expostulates  w^ith  me  thus,  "  I  have  charity  for  you,  and 
hope  you  have  the  same  for  me ;"  I  can  understand  him  to 
mean  nothing  else  at  bottom  but  this,  "  The  favour  of  my 
God  is  at  your  service,  and  I  expect  you  will  be  no  less 
obliging  in  return;"  or,  "  I  am  disposed  to  frame  and  accom- 
modate my  God  to  your  pleasure  and  comfort,  and  would 
think  it  very  unkind  in  you  not  to  do  the  like  for  me."  Thus 
men  often  gain  reputation  for  charity  by  the  most  atheistical 
trifling  in  sacred  things ;  and  thus  he  who  has  the  coolest 
notions  concerning  the  Deity,  comes  to  be  reckoned  the  man 
of  the  most  extensive  charity,  though  he  should  be  no  way 
remarkable  for  self-denied  beneficence  in  his  actions. 

But  let  us  consider  the  above  cited  note,  where  it  is  said, 
"  Let  none  conclude  from  this  or  any  other  passage,  that  we 
would  consign  over  all  the  heathens  to  damnation."  But  why 
this  caution  ?  Surely  no  Christian  will  ever  dream  of  con- 
signing over  all  the  heathens  to  damnation.  The  Scriptures 
abound  everywhere  with  promises  of  salvation  to  the  hea- 
thens, and  with  testimonies  that  ihey  obtained  it?  But  how? 
I  hope  no  Christian  will  say  they  obtained  it  any  other  way 
than  by  faith,  or  the  knowledge  of  the  Messiah.     Before  the 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  405 

Messiah  came,  we  read  of  heathens,  who  believing  the  promise, 
came  to  take  refdg-e  under  the  wings  of  the  God  of  Israel ;  and 
after  he  came,  we  lind  that  the  salvation  of  God  was  sent  unto 
the  heathens,  and  that  they  heard  it,  and  were  thereby  turned 
from  idols  to  serve  the  living  God.  But,  perhaps,  I  am  here 
multiplying  proofs  aside  from  the  purpose.  If  so,  the  ques- 
tion still  recurs,  For  what  serves  the  caution  ?  Do  we  think 
it  wrong  to  affirm,  that  there  is  no  salvation  but  by  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ ;  and  that  there  is  no  name  but  his  given 
under  heaven  for  salvation  to  men  ?  Then  we  think  it  right 
to  affirm,  that  there  is  at  least  a  possibility  of  salvation  other- 
wise: and  that  the  Divine  mercy  may  be  conveyed  to  men 
by  some  other  channel,  though  we  cannot  certainly  say  it 
shall  be  so,  or  who  shall  be  objects  of  it.  If  this  be  our 
opinion,  then,  it  is  plain,  that  however  much  we  talk  about 
the  gospel,  we  are  far  from  laying  much  stress  upon  it. 
Then  it  is  plain,  that  we  consider  all  the  grand  things  reveal- 
ed in  the  Scriptures  to  be  "Much  ado  about  nothing." 

But  what  intimidates  us?  what  shakes  our  confidence 
about  many  of  the  clearest  passages  of  the  gospel  on  this 
head  ?  Are  we  afraid  of  being  deficient  in  our  due  respects 
to  the  philosophers,  ancient  or  modern  ?  Do  we  consider 
this  sort  of  men  as  "  the  very  best  among  the  Gentiles  ?"  Do 
we  "  love  and  admire  the  character  of  Socrates,"  or  any  of 
his  followers,  down  to  his  eminent  modern  disciple  in  our 
own  country;  who,  by  the  use  he  made  of  his  test  of  truth,  if 
I  may  not  say  taught  the  nation,  has  at  least  made  it  very 
fashionable  for  people  to  laugh  at  the  religion  of  their  coun- 
try, and  withal  to  observe  what  is  reckoned  outward  deco- 
rum, by  a  decent  compliance  with  the  public  forms  and  rites 
of  that  religion?  Can  we  ever  expect  to  learn  what  is  true, 
what  is  COMELY,  or  what  is  honest,  from  the  random  unmean- 
ing flourishes  of  those  men  who  are,  and  ever  have  been, 
notable  enemies  to  truth  and  sincerity,  especially  in  the  most 
sacred  matters  ?  And  if  we  examine  their  sentiments  as  to 
humanity,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  their 
good  taste,  their  stnse  of  order  and  decorum,  their  sound 
judgment,  their  enlarged  sentiments,  and  their  notions  of 
public  utility,  to  persecute,  under  the  name  of  enthusiasts  or 
fanatics,  the  very  same  people  whom  zealous  churchmen 
would  persecute  under  the  name  of  heretics ;  even  all  who 
fear  God,  more  than  them  who  kill  the  bod}^.  We  shall 
find  them  ready  to  agree  with  the  most  bloody-minded  eccle- 
siastics, in  considering  reverence  for  the  true  God,  as  looking 
with  an  evil  aspect  both  on  the  church  and  state.     The  truth 


406  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   VI. 

is,  nothing  is  more  comely  in  the  eyes  of  ihe  former,  than 
dissembled  atheism ;  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  latter,  than  piety 
supporting  pride. 

But,  of  all  men,  I  wonder  how  the  followers  of  the  fishers  of 
Galilee  should  come  to  admire  the  philosophers,  ihe  rery 
best  ;  rather  the  very  worst  among  the  Gentiles  ;  so  as 
to  wish  the  earth  might  be  removed  for  them :  yea,  what 
is  infinitely  more  stable  than  the  earth,  that  the  Divine 
character  might  be  varied  in  their  favour.  We  may  easily 
think  of  other  classes  of  men  to  whom  it  shall  be  more  toler- 
able in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  them.  Nothing  can 
serve  more  readily  to  beget  mistakes  in  our  minds  about  the 
gospel,  than  our  being  unhappily  led  in  to  admire,  either  the 
ingenious  atheism  of  the  philosophers,  or  the  ostentatious 
devotion  of  the  popular  preachers.  For  in  what  else  do 
either  of  these  stand  distinguished  above  other  men,  so  as  to 
claim  our  particular  attention  or  admiration  ? 

I  find  that  the  gentle  spirit,  which  breathes  in  the  Dia- 
logues, can  be  roused  to  a  sufficient  height  of  resentment 
when  it  meets  with  suitable  provocation.  This  is  manifest 
from  the  angry  note  against  common  beggars,  vol.  3,  p.  346, 
Yet  this  is  far  from  being  the  only  class  of  men  where  gross 
imposition  prevails;  neither  is  their  imposition  of  the  most 
considerable  or  extensive  hurt  to  mankind.  After  all  that  is 
said  against  them,  and  those  who  are  prevailed  on  by  their 
importunate  clamours,  I  can  find  no  reason  to  blame  myself, 
or  others,  for  parting  with  a  trifle  to  a  common  beggar,  even 
though  the  note  endeavours  to  put  us  in  fear  of  a  rebuke  at 
the  day  of  judgment  for  so  doing. 

I  leave  the  restraint  of  common  begging  to  those  in  author- 
ity, who  have  power  to  provide  for  the  needy  otherwise,  as 
well  as  to  correct  the  unruly ;  and  suppose  that  every  man's 
first  care  of  himself  will  keep  him  from  being  greatly  hurt 
by  common  beggars.  So  I  see  no  reason  to  grudge  them 
what  Providence,  civil  authority,  and  the  indulgence  of  their 
fellow-creatures  allows  them.  The  note  which  recommends 
the  real  poor  to  our  compassion,  in  opposition  to  common 
beggars,  whom  it  excludes,  does  not  sufficiently  show,  that 
many  of  the  former  class  may  not  be  found  among  the  latter. 
I  find,  that  in  Judea,  when  Jesus  Christ  lived  there,  the 
streets,  the  lanes,  and  the  highways,  were  frequented  by  sup- 
plicants, who  were  undoubtedly  so  sturdy,  as  to  be  "  able  to 
undergo  the  fatigue  of  travelling;"  and  were  also  "able  to 
undergo  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather;"  yet,  I  do  not  find 
that  he,  who  on  all  occasions  showed  his  zeal  against  sin 


LET.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPASIO.  407 

without  reserve,  ever  pointed  his  displeasure  against  this  class 
of  men,  or  yet  forbade  any  to  relieve  them;  yea,  some  pas- 
sages in  the  gospel  look  much  the  other  way. 

As  people  of  this  class  seldom  appear  in  print,  and  have 
no  friends  of  condition  who  choose  to  own  them,  so  can  form 
no  party,  we  may,  indeed,  with  all  freedom,  show  our  indig- 
nation against  them,  without  dreading  any  repulse  from  them 
or  their  friends;  yet,  methinks,  when  we  are  writing  of  set 
purpose  in  defence  of  the  gospel,  the  strength  of  our  zeal 
would  be  much  more  profitably  employed  in  opposition  to  its 
most  eminent  and  deceitful  enemies,  who  daily  impose  upon 
thousands  to  their  utter  destruction. 

For  instance,  might  not  something  like  the  spirit  and  style 
of  the  note  now  referred  to,  be  properly  used  to  guard  us 
against  many  such,  who  cry  aloud  for  our  reverent  esteem, 
and  make  heavy  complaints  for  the  want  of  it  1  As,  "  Let 
us  be  deaf  to  their  most  importunate  clamours,  and  assure 
ourselves,  that,  by  this  determined  inflexibility,  we  do  God, 
we  do  o\x^  community,  we  do  them,  the  most  substantial  ser- 
vice. Should  they  implore  by  the  injured  name  of  Jesus, 
for  the  honour  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  let  us  resolutely  withhold" 
our  reverence.  "Their  meaning  is,  I  cannot  go  on  in  my 
present — iniquitous  course,"  with  sufficient  credit  and  influ- 
ence, "  unless  j^ou  will  administer  some  kindly  pernicious 
assistance;  for  Christ's  sake  therefore,  assist  me,"  by  your 
hearty  concurrence,  "  to  persist  in  the  way  that  leads  to  eternal 
destruction.  This  is  the  true  import  of  their  petitions.  And 
whether  the  sanction  of  that  most  venerable  name,  added  to 
such  a  request,  should  move  our"  reverence,  "or  excite  our 
abhorrence,  let  every"  lover  of  the  gospel  and  of  mankind 
"judge." 

Here  I  cannot  forbear  remarking,  that  the  zeal  of  ancient 
charity  must  be  very  rare,  when  he  who,  among  writers, 
justly  deserves  to  be  accounted  the  chief,  if  not  the  only  con- 
tender for  the  doctrine  of  Divine  grace  and  imputed  righte- 
ousness in  the  Church  of  England,  shows  so  much  loathness 
to  break  friendship  with,  and  expose  himself  to  the  hatred  of 
its  open  and  determined  enemies :  and  when  the  like  chief, 
in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  I  mean  the  author  of  a  late  Essay 

*  The  second  edition,  Edinburgh,  1756,  is  called,  Essay  on  the  Con- 
ncct'wn  hctircn  tfie  Doctrine  of  J  imtljication  Inj  the  Imputed  Righteousness 
of  Christ,  and  Holiness  of  Life. 

When  [  took  notice  of  the  author  of  this  Essay  as  above,  and  in  my 
fifth  letter,  I  had  some  reason  to  hope,  from  the  unconnnon  rep:ard  he 
showed  to  the  Scriptures,  that  he  would  proceed  to  bestow  his  attention 


408  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VI. 

on  Justification,*  expressly  declares  himself,  agreeably  to  the 
modern  trimming  humour,  disposed  rather  to  "  reconcile  than 
widen*'  the  several  differences  about  faith  ;  and  even  as  to 
what  he  himself  judges  worthy  of  being  contended  for,  seems 
afraid  of  being  "  ensnared,   and   exposed  to  censure."     Of 


on  tlieir  great  and  leading  scope ;  and  leave  to  others  the  discussion  of 
such  curiods  questions  as  these :  Whether  it  be  agreeable  to  Divine 
right,  or  the  maxims  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  that  the  patrons,  or 
that  the  populace  of  a  parish,  should  have  most  influence  in  presenting 
a  candidate  for  the  vacant  benefice  allotted  by  earthly  kingdou)s  for  the 
preacher  of  the  national  religion?  Whether  the  pulpit  or  the  stage,  in 
the  present  improved  state  of  both,  are  fittest  means  for  promoting  sanc- 
tification  in  the  hearts  of  men  ?  and,  Which  is  the  best  method  of  con- 
solidating iron  and  clay  into  one  uniform  substance ;  or  of  making  a 
nation  wealthy  and  powerful  under  the  true  profession  of  Christianity  ? 

For  my  part,  if  the  theatre,  as  it  pretends,  serve  to  refine  the  taste  and 
manners  of  those  who  claim  the  rank  of  gentlemen  ;  if  the  national  reli- 
gion, as  in  duty  bound,  retain  the  body  of  the  people  in  due  respect  to 
the  magistrate,  and  subjection  to  the  law\s,  I  know  no  higher  benefit  we 
can  reasonably  expect  from  either.  I  do  not  expect  from  any  theatre, 
regulated  according  to  the  taste  of  those  who  rule  the  fashion,  nor  from 
any  religion  established  as  most  agreeable  to  the  inclinations  of  the  peo- 
ple, as  it  must  be,  if  worthy  of  an  establishment,  and  fit  to  render  the 
expected  service  to  the  civd  government ;  from  either  of  these,  I  say,  I 
do  not  expect  to  find  an  effectual  remedy  against  the  corruption  of  human 
nature,  nor  do  I  think  that  either  of  these  tend  to  fit  men  lor  the  king- 
dom of  Heaven. 

Dean  Swift,  in  one  of  his  serious  moods,  (in  a  sermon  called  Mutu/il 
Sithjection,)  once  discovered,  that  were  we  only  all  righteous,  were  it 
our  only  emulation  who  should  serve  each  other  to  the  best  advantage, 
we  should  become  a  very  happy  nation.  But  he  who  could  effectually 
teach  the  nation  to  become  holy  and  righteous,  would  certainly  make  a 
nnich  more  important  discovery.  For  after  all  the  fine  things  that  have 
been  said,  the  complaint  of  the  corntptiou  of  human  nature  is  still  as 
strong  as  ever. 

I  have  lately  seen  A  Serious  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Effects  of  the 
Stage,  writ  by  the  author  of  the  abovementioned  Essay.  In  tliis  inquiry, 
the  author  shows  no  small  zeal  against  the  stage,  as  the  rival  of  the  pul- 
pit. And  his  reasoning  would  lead  us  to  form  our  notion  of  the  ancient 
distinction  betwixt  Christ's  people  and  the  world,  in  an  especial  manner, 
by  opposing  those  who  are  fond  of  sermons,  to  those  who  delight  in  the 
stage;  or  the  devout,  to  the  gay  and  fashionable  world  :  whereas  that 
distinction,  when  first  made,  was  most  clearly  manifested  and  understood 
in  the  opposition  betwixt  Christ's  disciples  and  the  strictest  leaders  in 
devotion.  It  does  not  look  well  in  our  author,  that  he  should  be  so 
amicably  disposed  to  reconcile,  or  make  little  account  of  the  differences 
wherein  the  honour  of  Christ  is  evidently  at  stake  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
so  resolute  in  employing  all  iiis  abilities  to  widen  to  the  utmost  those  dif- 
ferences wherein  the  honour  of  the  clergy  is  chiefly  concerned.  Yea,  so 
zealous  is  he  in  this  latter  cause,  that  he  seems  to  think  he  has  gained  a 
considerable  point,  if,  by  coUecthig  a  great  variety  of  different  consider- 
ations into  one  complex  idea,  he  has  been  able  to  raise  a  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  men  concerning  the  lawfulness  of  the  stage. 


LET.   VI.J  THERON  AND  ASTASIO.  409 

whom?  Surely  of  none  other  but  those  whom  he  himself 
looks  upon  as  enemies  of  the  gospel.  How  often  do  we  sec 
the  ancient  proverb  verified,  especially  in  the  matters  of 
religion,  The  fear  of  man  hringeth  a  snare  ?  The  force  of 
its  counter-part  is  not  so  readily  attended  to, — But  ivhosopui- 
teik  his  trust  in  the  Lord^  shall  be  safe. 

I  shall  now  close  what  I  have  to  say  on  charity,  with  observ- 
ing, that  as  apostolic  charity  seeks  the  good  of  men  without 
courting  their  favour  by  flattery,  modern  charity,  however 


I  could  vjrish  this  author  would  think  seriously  on  the  state  of  the 
question  he  has  given  us  with  regard  to  the  stage.  In  his  10th  and  11th 
pages,  he  first  supposes  the  best  regulated  stage  that  can  be  expected, 
and  then  enumerates  the  things,  either  bad  in  themselves,  or  of  bad  ten- 
dency, which  must  necessarily  be  implied  in  supporting  it  in  this  its  best 
supposable  condition^  After  this,  in  p.  12,  he  states  the  question.  Now, 
put  the  case,  that  I  have,  in  like  manner,  supposed  the  best  established 
church  that  can  be  expected,  and  described  the  various  things  necessarily 
implied  in  the  erecting  and  supporting  of  it ;  then  let  us  hear  his  state  of 
tlie  question,  without  any  other  variation  of  his  words,  than  the  national 
church  instead  of  tlie  stage.  "  The  fair  and  plain  state  of  the  question 
then  is,  Whether  it  is"  possible  or  practicable,  in  the  present  state  of 
human  nature,  to  have  the  above  system  of  things  under  so  good  a  regu- 
lation, as  to  make  the  erecting  and  countenancing  the  national  church, 
agreeable  to  the  will  of  God,  and  consistent  with  the  purity  of  the  Chris- 
tian profession  ?"'  Could  our  author  attend  to  this  fair  and  plain  state 
of  tlie  question,  it  might  furnish  him  with  a  key  to  his  knowledge  of  the 
Scripture,  and  lead  him  to  apply  many  passages  of  it  more  pertinently 
than  he  has  done. 

But  by  wliat  follows  it  would  appear,  that  his  mind  is  very  strongly 
tinctured  with  the  pride  of  his  order.  Whereas,  the  partisans  of  the  pul- 
pit, and  those  of  the  stage,  with  equal  discretion  on  both  sides,  have  lately 
exchanged  "  many  little  pieces  of  satire;"  our  author  charges  the  latter 
with  no  less  than  the  heinous  crime  of  "  blasphemously  comparing  the 
pulpit  with  the  stage."  This  is  like  the  language  of  the  tenth  century. 
Can  our  author  seriously  think,  that  a  frame  of  wood  called  a  pulpit, 
when  filled  with  a  living  creature  called  the  Reverend,  acquires  a  dignity 
equal  to  the  throne  of  the  Highest;  so  as  all  freedom  of  speech  against 
the  former,  should,  like  that  used  against  the  latter,  deserve  the  charge 
of  blasphemy!  It  may  justly  be  reckoned  a  very  doubtful  question, 
whether  the  pulpit  or  the  stage,  in  the  present  improved  state  of  both, 
conveys  most  spiritual  benefit  to  the  souls  of  men ;  but  which  of  them 
does  most  hurt,  may,  I  think,  be  very  easily  decided,  if  any  regard  be  had 
to  the  authority  of  the  New  Testament. 

The  apostles,  mean  spirited  mortals  it  would  seem,  never  supposed 
that  their  persons,  their  sennons  or  epistles,  would  be  respected  by  the 
public  on  a  footing  with  dramatic  performances,  or  the  writers  of  them; 
so  they  never  ran  the  risk  of  being  foiled  in  the  couipetition. 

It  may  give  those  who  observe  the  fulfilment  of  the  apostolic  prophe- 
cies some  satisfaction,  to  perceive  the  high-minded  gentlemen  of  the 
pulpit  reduced  so  low,  as  to  enter  the  lists  with  those  of  the  stage ;  and 
at  the  same  time  apparently  sensible,  that  the  competition  is  by  no  means 
contemptible. 

35 


410  LETTERS  ON  [LET.   Vt 

benevolent  it  may  seem,  bears  the  same  aspect  toward  the 
real  interest  of  mankind,  as  the  insinuating-  address  of  that 
spirit  who  first  taught,  and  still  continues  to  teach  mankind, 
to  disregard  the  words  of  their  Creator  with  hopes  of  impu- 
nity;  or  to  presume,  that  every  act  of  disobedience,  for  which 
they  have  plausible  reasons,  is  not  necessarily  connected  with 
misery.  On  the  whole.  What  avails  it  what  set  of  principles 
we  choose  to  stamp  as  properly  our  own,  while  we  join  in 
the  friendly  alliance  of  charity  with  determined  promoters  of 
impiety  and  inhumanity  !  It  is  not  evident  from  the  Scripture, 
that  the  judgment  of  God  is  pointed,  not  only  against  them 
who  do  these  things,  but  also  against  those  who  take  pleasure 
in  such  as  do  them  ? 

If  the  leading  sentiment  in  these  sheets  shall  prove  accept- 
able to  any  party  having,  or  desiring  to  have  the  public  lead- 
ing in  religion,  there  will  thence  arise  the  strongest  ground 
to  suspect,  that  either  I  have  greatly  mistaken  the  apostles, 
or  that  my  readers  have  greatly  mistaken  me. 

I  have  in  these  letters  studied  to  write  agreeably  to  the  cry 
of  John  the  Baptist,  "Every  valley  shall  be  filled,  and  every 
mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought  low ;" — to  show,  that 
philosophers,  savages,  revered  doctors,  knights  of  the  post, 
&-C.,  stand  all  an  equal  chance  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; — 
so  to  set  at  nought  all  the  boasted  distinctions  among  men,  on 
account  of  which  the  great  salvation  is  neglected.  And  I  have 
the  satisfaction  to  find,  that  when  Aspasio  has  the  Divine  grace 
full  in  his  eye,  without  being  diverted  by  any  other  object, 
he  is  ready  to  second  and  support  me  in  all  the  greatest  free- 
doms of  speech  I  have  used;  while  he  ascribes  all  opposition 
to  that  grace,  to  "  the  envy  of  the  devil  and  the  pride  of  man."' 
And  I  have  no  other  intention  in  these  letters,  but  to  support 
and  enforce  the  many  excellent  things  he  has  said  in  com- 
mendation of  that  grace,  and  to  separate  the  chaff  from  the 
wheat. 

I  have  used  some  freedom  with  the  names  of  several  emi- 
nent preachers.  But  I  have  no  occasion  to  apologize  for  this 
to  the  friends  of  Paul's  gospel :  for  such  will  readily  perceive 
that  there  was  no  attacking  the  popular  doctrine*  to  any  pur- 


*'  Perhaps  it  will  be  thought  needful,  that  I  should  define,  with  greater 
precision  than  I  have  hitherto  done,  what  I  mean  by  the  popular  doc- 
trine ;  especially  as  I  have  considered  many  as  preachers  thereof  who 
differ  remarkably  Irom  each  otlier ;  and  particularly  as  I  have  ranked 
amongst  them  Mr.  Wesley,  who  may  justly  be  reckoned  one  of  the  most 


LtT.  VI.]  THERON  AND  ASPaSIO.  411 

pose,  without  makings  an  honest  essay  towards  profanino-  the 
divinity  of  those  demi-oods,  whose  authority  supports  it,  and 
whoso  credit  must  stand  or  fall  together  with  it.  Meanwhile, 
the  votaries  of  that  doctrine  may,  if  they  please,  rest  quietly 
assured,  that  the  voice  of  truth  will  be  heard  only  by  a  very 
few  in  the  midst  of  the  move  alluring-  cries  of  worldly  factions, 
and  that  Paul's  gospel  will  never  pretend  to  set  up  for  a  rival 
to  theirs  in  this  world. 

I  have,  as  I  found  occasion,  freely  adopted  the  observations, 
and  even  the  words  of  the  friends  of  the  doctrine  contained 
in  these  sheets,  without  seeing  any  necessity  for  quoting 
them,  or  mentioning  their  names ;  for  I  frankly  acknow- 
ledge, that  I  have  no  friends,  whose  names  are  of  sufficient 
weight  to  enforce  anything  I  have  said,  or  to  screen  me 
from  censure  if  I  have  departed  from  the  mind  of  the  apos- 
tles, who  alone  are  the  proper  judges  in  every  question  about 
the  Christian  faith.  If  I  have  not  been  faithful  to  the  one 
thing  needful,  I  can  complain  of  no  censure  as  too  severe  ; 
if  I  have,  I  see  no  reason  to  be  greatly  alarmed  on  any  other 
account. 

As  I  am  sensible  my  own  name  can  add  no  weight  to 
these  letters,  so  I  judge  it  ought  not  to  diminish  any  weight 

virulent  reproachers  of  that  God, whose  character  is  drawn  by  the  apos- 
tles, that  this  island  has  produced.  To  remove  all  doubt  concerning  my 
meaning,  I  shall  tlmse.xplain  myselt*. 

Throiiirhout  these  letters,  I  consider  all  those  as  teachers  of  the  popu- 
lar doctrine,  who  seek  to  have  credit  and  hifliience  among  the  people, 
by  resting  our  acceptance  with  God,  not  simply  on  uhat  Christ  fuitk 
done,  but  more  or  less  on  the  use  ice  make  of  him,  the  advance  we  make 
toward  him,  or  some  secret  desire,  wish,  or  sigh  to  do  so  ;  or  o)i  some- 
thing we  feel  or  do  concerning  hiin,  by  the  assistance  of  some  kind  of 
grace  or  spirit;  or,  lastly,  on  something  we  employ  him  to  do,  and  sup- 
pose he  is  yet  to  do  for  us.  In  sum.  all  who  would  have  us  to  be  consciou.s 
of  something  else  than  the  bare  truth  of  the  gospel;  all  who  would  have 
us  to  be  conscious  of  some  beginning  of  a  change  to  the  better,  orsome 
desire,  however  fjiint,  toward  such  change,  in  order  to  our  acceptance 
with  God ;  these  I  call  the  popular  preachers,  liowever  much  they  may 
diti'i^r  from  e.-jch  other  about  faith,  and  grace,  special  or  common,  or 
a!)0!it  anything  else.  For  I  am  di.sposed  rather  to  reconcile  than  widen 
the  various  dilferences  among  them. 

But  my  resentment  is  all  along  chiefly  pointed  against  the  capital  branch 
of  the  popular  doctrine,  which,  while  it  asserts  almost  all  the  articles  be- 
longuig  to  the  sacred  truth,  at  the  .-ame  time  deceitfully  clogs  them  with 
the  opposite  fals<!hoods.  This  I  would  compare  to  a  chain  having  one 
link  of  gold  and  another  of  brass  alternately  :  or,  I  vvouhl  call  it  a  two- 
fold cord,  wherein  one  thread  of  truth  and  another  of  falsehood  are  all 
aloDg  entwisted  together.  If  we  think  of  its  practical  address  to,  and 
influence  on  the  njinds  of  the  people,  as  contrasted  with  its  formally 
avowed  tenets,  it  resembles  a  whited  sepulchre,  inwardly  full  of  rotten- 
ness. 


412  LETTERS  ON  [LET.  VL 

they  borrow  from  the  Scriptures.  And  as  I  espouse  that 
faith  which  Aspasio  pronounces  to  be  "  certainly  of  the  en- 
feebled and  infantile  kind,"  when  he  condescends  to  "  sup- 
pose" it  "to  be  sound  and  genuine,"  vol.  3,  p.  290;  I  shall 
at  present,  knowing  no  reason  for  being  either  anxious  to 
conceal,  or  yet  forward  to  publish  my  own,  content  myself 
with  assuming  the  name,  under  which  that  faith  is  introduced, 
as  not  knowing  any  particular  person  intended  by  it.  And 
as  I  have  not  the  pleasure  of  being  personally  acquainted 
with  you,  nor  had  any  opportunity  of  seeing  or  knowing 
you,  but  by  your  writings,  I  have  chosen  the  same  public 
channel  of  the  press,  by  which  you  have  communicated  your 
sentiments  to  me,  among  the  rest  of  your  readers,  for  return- 
ing mine  to  you  and  them. 

On  the  whole,  the  result  of  all  that  has  been  said  amounts 
to  this,  That  every  man's  great  concern  turns  upon  what 
issue  his  mind  comes  to  about  the  question,  which  Pilate 
once  moved,  without  waiting  for  an  answer.  What  is  truth  ? 
He  who  knows  what  is  the  truth,  has  no  occasion  to  give 
himself  any  disturbance  with  any  of  the  controversies  that 
have  been  moved  about.  What  is  faith?  Yea,  he  may, 
with  the  greatest  confidence  and  safety,  dismiss  all  the  mo- 
dern descriptions  of  it,  whether  fashionable  or  popular,  and 
send  them  back  to  the  regions  of  darkness  from  whence  they 
came. 

To  conclude,  were  it  needful,  I  would  willingly  produce 
here  many  passages  from  the  Dialogues,  containing  senti- 
ments, which  never  owed  their  birth  to  the  popular  doctrine, 
and  as  to  which,  it  is  enough  to  awaken  the  highest  regret 
and  resentment,  to  think  that  they  should  ever  be  confound- 
ed with  it.*     But  I  shall  content  myself  with  transcribing, 

*  That  the  saving  truth  is  effectually  undermined  by  this  confusion, 
may  readily  be  seen  in  the  following  easy  view.  He  who  maintains 
that  we  are  justified  only  by  faith,  and  at  the  same  time  affirms,  with 
Aspasio,  •'  that  faith  is  a  work  exerted  by  the  human  mind  "  undoubtedly 
maintains,  if  he  has  any  meaning  to  his  words,  that  we  are  justified  by  a 
work  exerted  by  the  human  mind. 

I  have  all  along  studied  to  make  use  of  every  form  of  expression  I 
could  think  of,  lor  evincing,  in  the  most  clear,  palpable,  and  striking 
manner,  a  difference  of  the  last  importance,  which  thousands  of  preachers 
have  laboured  to  cover  with  mist.  If  I  have  made  that  difference  mani- 
fest to  those  who  have  any  attention  for  the  subject,  my  great  end  in 
writing  is  gahied,  on  whatever  side  of  it  men  shall  choose  to  rank  them- 
selves. It  has  frequently  appeared  to  me  a  thing  no  less  amazing  than 
provoking,  when  the  great  difference  betwixt  the  ancient  gospel  here 
contended  for  and  the  popular  doctrine,  has  been  pointed  out,  as  dear 


LET.  VI  ]  THERON   AND  ASPASIO.  41^ 

out  of  many,  one  passage  on  the  article  of  justification,  from 
vol.  1,  p.  270. 

"  Both  grace  and  faith  stand  in  direct  opposition  to  works; 
all  works  whatever.  Whether  they  be  works  of  the  law,  or 
works  of  the  gospel ;  exercises  of  the  heart,  or  actions  of  the 
life ;  done  while  we  remain  unregenerate,  or  when  we  be- 
come regenerate ;  they  are  all,  and  every  of  them,  equally 
set  aside  in  this  great  aflair. 

"  That  the  bill  of  exclusion  is  thus  extensive,  or  rather 
quite  unlimited,  appears  from  the  reason  assigned  :  Lest  any 
man  should  boast.  That  all  pretence  of  glorying  may  be  cut 
off  from  fallen  creatures.  That  the  whole  honour  of  obtain- 
ing salvation,  may  be  appropriated  to  him,  who  hid  not  his 
face  from  shame  and  spitting.  And  is  he  not  worthy,  un- 
speakably worthy,  to  receive  this  unrivalled  honour,  as  a  re- 
compense for  his  unparalleled  humiliation  ?" 

May  the  truth  set  forth  here,  be  the  strength  of  your  heart 
in  the  hour  of  dea^h.  And,  meantime,  may  fellowship  with 
this  truth,  in  all  the  afflictions  and  joys  which  attend  it,  be 
your  hearty  choice.  Many,  indeed,  will  be  your  enemies, 
and  ie\x  your  friends  on  earth  ;  but  all  in  heaven  will  be  on 
your  side.  After  what  is  now  said,  it  would  be  a  very  small 
thing  to  add,  that  to  hear  of  this  being  your  determined 
choice,  will  greatly  heighten  the  affectionate  esteem  of, 

Dear  Sir, 

Your  friend  and  servant, 
May,  1757.  Pal^mon. 

as  words  could  make  it,  to  find  many,  after  aH,  so  obstinately  stupid  as 
to  dechre  they  saw  no  real  difference.  This  I  cannot  account  for,  by 
assigning  any  other  cause  than  the  special  agency  of  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness. All  such  will  be  ready  to  complain  that  I  have  treated  the  popular 
preachers  with  too  great  severity.  And  to  such  I  can  only  say,  that  I 
camiot  pretend  to  explain  myself  more  clearly  tlian  I  have  already  done. 
Only  they  will  i)e  pleased  to  remeniber,  that  where  there  is  a  real  differ- 
ence from  the  apostles  on  the  point  of  acceptance  with  God,  however 
small  and  insignificant  it  uiay  seem,  when  obscured  with  a  multitude  of 
words,  either  without  meaning,  or  fitted  only  to  deceive,  it  wilt  be  found 
in  its  effects  and  couseipiences,  wide  as  the  dilfereuce  betwixt  Christ  and 
Belial,  light  anil  darkness,  heiiven  and  hell. 

To  lead  (JIuistiaas  to  di.sfbiguisih.  with  the  utmost  jealously  and  care, 
upon  tills  point,  is  the  great  scope  and  constant  aim  of  the  apostles  in 
all  their  writings;  yea,  this  is  the  principid  bran<-li  of  instruction  incul- 
cated througlnMitailfhe  S(rij)tures.  And  in  nothing  more  evidently  does 
it  appear  how  (liCMp  the  gospel  is  held  l)y  many  oi"  its  professed  friends, 
than  in  their  want  of  this  jcal-ousy,  and  tJicir  readiness  to  count  diffe- 
rences about  fiiith  of  small  imporVuice.. 

o  -  « 


I 


APPENDIX. 


'Tis  agreed,  by  the  great  majority  in  all  Christian  coun- 
tries, that  there  is  no  salvation  but  by  Jesus  Christ.  Thus 
far  general  consent  agrees  with  the  apostolic  doctrine.  But, 
then,  a  capital  difference  between  these  two  arises  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner. 

The  apostles  maintained,  that  Christ  did  enough  to  save 
sinners  in  his  own  person,  tvithout  their  concurrence,  and  that 
all  who  were  so  persuaded,  accordingly  found  salvation  in 
him.  As  the  natural  counterpart  of  this,  they  at  the  same 
time  maintained,  that  if  any  man  went  about  to  deny  or  un- 
dermine the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ's  work  to  save,  by  in- 
sisting on  the  necessity  of  any  other  concurring  requisite 
whatever,  Christ  should  profit  him  nothing. 

On  the  other  hand,  since  Christianity  began  to  flourish 
and  prevail  in  the  world,  the  majority  of  those  wearing  the 
Christian  name  have  been  agreed  in  maintaining  the  neces- 
sity of  something  beside  Christ's  vvork  to  save  them,  or  pro- 
cure them  acceptance  with  God.  Yea,  long  before  that 
time,  even  in  the  apostolic  age,  the  Judaizing  Christians, 
W'ho  were  far  from  being  few  in  number,  proceeded  upon 
the  same  plan.  This  we  are  taught  by  the  apostles  to  call  a 
corrupted  or  perverted  gospel.  And  here  chiefly  we  may 
perceive  the  consent  of  the  Christian  world  all  along  op- 
posed to  the  apostolic  doctrine. 

But  while  we  behold  the  Christian  world  consenting, 
against  the  apostles,  about  the  necessity  of  some  addition,  w^e 
see  them  at  the  same  time  very  far  from  being  agreed  among 
themselves  about  what  ought  to  be  added,  and  how  much,  the 
nature  of  the  assistance  needful  to  promote  the  addition,  and 
the  properest  means  of  solicitinof  the  concurring  assistance, 
with  various  other  considerations  depending  on  these.  So, 
when  Israel  once  departed  from  the  worship  of  the  one  God, 
who  led  them  out  of  Egypt,  they  could  never  settle  upon  the 
worship  of  any  other,  but  lay  open  to  all  the  innovations  of 
the  neighbouring  nations.  Thus,  when  a  wife  once  departs 
from  her  husband  to  admit  another,  she  may  easily  be  pre- 


416  APPENDIX. 

vailed  upon  to  admit  a  second,  third,  and  fourth,  till  at  last  she 
become  a  downright  prostitute. 

In  the  apostolic  age,  the  favourite  addition  was,  to  become 
a  Jewish  proselyte  by  circumcision.  And  it  is  evident,  that 
much  more  could  be  said  in  favour  of  that,  than  could  be 
urged  in  behalf  of  any  other  that  has  been  adopted  since.  In 
the  Roman  church,  the  additional  grounds  of  acceptance 
with  God  have  been  multiplied  in  a  very  extravagant  man- 
ner. .Protestants  have  in  many  respects  discarded  the  extra- 
vagance of  that  church,  yet  they  still  generally  agree  in 
establishing  their  own  righteousness  as  the  ground  of  their 
acceptance  w^ith  God,  according  to  various  schemes  of  their 
own,  some  in  a  more  open,  others  in  a  more  secret  and 
ambiguous  manner  frustrating  the  all-sufficiency  of  the  righte- 
ousness finished  by  Jesus  Christ.  Now  it  is  evident,  that 
the  scheme  of  doctrine  which  most  resembles  the  apostolic 
in  honouring  Christ's  work,  yet  find  means  of  rendering  it 
of  no  effect,  must  in  a  more  especial  manner  awaken  the 
jealousy  and  move  the  resentment  of  such  as  rnaintain  the  all- 
sufficiency  of  tliat  work  exclusive  of  every  reserve.  And 
such  is  the  scheme  contained  in  the  dialogues  between 
Theron  and  Aspasio. 

The  reader  will  perceive  by  my  first  letter,  with  what 
reluctance  and  respect  I  commenced  an  opponent  to  the  au- 
thor of  these  dialogues;  and  that  I  was  willing  to  consider 
him  as  rather  imposed  upon  than  sufficiently  aware  what  he 
was  doing.  But  not  many  months  after  the  publication  of 
these  letters,  I  found,  by  three  sermons*  he  published  in 
August,  1757,  that  I  had  presumed  too  much  in  favour  of  my 
author,  and  that,  accordingly,  the  effectionate  esteem  I  had 
expressed  for  him  had  pioceeded  upon  a  fond  mistake.  In 
short,  I  found  I  had  no  reason  to  distinguish  him  from  other 
preachers  of  the  same  doctrine.  Those  who  know  the  diffe- 
rence between  the  strain  of  doctrine  in  his  three  sermons  and 
that  in  my  letters,  will  easily  understand  me  here;  and  to 
others,  I  apprehend  it  would  be  but  so  much  lost  labour  to 
attempt  a  large  explanation. 

Though  1  found  reason  to  change  my  thoughts  of  Mr. 
Hervey^  yet,  in  forwarding  this  second  edition,  (which  was 
mostly  printed  before  his  death,)  I  thought  it  best  to  retain 
the  same  form  of  address  all  along  as  in  the  first,  that  the 
reader  might  still  have  in.  his  eye  a  full  view  of  the  genuine 

*  Called,  The  Time  9f  Danger,  Tlip  Means  of  Safety,  and,  The- Way 
of  Holiness, 


APPENDIX.  417 

proo-ress  of  the  controversy.  The  slowest  of  my  renders 
will  probably  perceive,  that  it  is  now  too  late  to  say  anyliiing 
to  move  the  attention  of  Mr.  Hervey;  and  1  presume  they 
will  likewise  readily  agree  with  me  when  I  say  it  is  highly 
probable  that  he  will  continue  to  live  as  an  author,  when 
both  I  and  my  book  are  forgot.  If,  amidst  the  throng  of 
daily  publications,  my  book  serve  as  a  little  transitory  fuel 
to  the  fire  of  that  contention  which  the  Saviour  came  to  re- 
vive upon  the  earth,  and  which  will  continue  burning  till  he 
come  again,  my  purpose  in  writing  is  sufficiently  honoured. 
Yea,  though  it  should  be  forgot  before  the  current  year  end, 
I  have  it  to  say,  that  my  purpose  has  already  been  honoured 
far  beyond  expectation. 

Not  a  few,  I  understand,  (such  is  the  curiosity  of  people 
about  the  sentiments  of  famous^  men,)  would  be  fond  to  know 
what  I  have  learned  of  Mr.  Hervey's  reflections  on  reading 
these  letters.  But  as  they  have  been  so  much  of  a  piece  with, 
the  reflections  made  by  many  others,  I  think  it  equally  need- 
less  as  unseasonable  to  produce  them  here.  Besides  his  cor- 
respondents have  already  made  them  circulate,  in  a  private 
way,  pretty  wideFy. 

Yet,  I  apprehend,  it  is  not  yet  unseasonable  to  take  some 
notice  of  a  foolish  complaint  against  me  that  has  been  handed 
about  wath  no  small  keenness  among  the  larger  circle  of  his 
friends;  as  if  I  had  Avronged  him  much  by  choosing  to 
animadvert  on  the  first  edition  of  his  dialogues,  and  not  on  the 
third  ;  since  it  appears  from  my  book,  (p.  430,)  that  I  had  seen 
his  third  edition  before  my  letters  were  finished.  This  com- 
plaint, I  call,  at  first  instance,  foolish ;  because  those  who 
make  it,  do  not  so  much  as  pretend  to  say,  that  in  his  third 
edition  he  has  retracted  any  one  sentiment  that  I  have  censured 
in  his  first. 

However,  to  give  such  as  may  be  imposed  upon  by  such 
a  complaint  all  reasonable  satisfaction,  I  am  willing  to  inform 
them,  that  soon  after  I  read  his  first  edition,  in  April,  1755,  I 
set  about  the  writing  of  these  letters.  I  had  not  opportunity 
of  seeing  any  of  his  subsequent  editions  till  more  than  a  year 
after,  when  my  letters  were  well  advanced.  Some  time  about 
midsummer,  1756,  my  attention  was  drawn  by  a  newspaper, 
advertising  a  new  edition  of  Mar.shall  on  Sanctification,  and 
producing  a  recommendation  of  that  book  from  Mr.  Hervey's 
dialogues,  edition  thffd.  This  led  me  to  look  for  that  third 
edition,  that  I  might  see  the  recommendation  there  with  my 
own  eyes.  On  this  occasion,  in  a  bookseller's  shop,  I  glanced 
several  pages  of  that  edition,  especially  in  dialogue  16,  to  see 


418  APPENDIX. 

if  there  were  any  alterations  or  additions.  Some  of  both  those 
I  found,  but  no  change  in  point  of  sentiment.  Instead  of  that, 
I  Sdw  fresh  care  taken  to  support,  with  a  variety  of  human 
suffrages,  his  main  point,  which  appeared  to  me  unsupported 
by  the  Scripture,  to  wit,  the  appropriation  supposed  necessary 
to  saving  faith.  Therefore  I  thought  it  needless  to  tire  myself 
and  the  reader,  by  noting  the  variations  between  two  editions 
of  the  same  book,  when  the  strain  of  doctrine  was  the  same  in 
both. 

Not  long  after  the  publication  of  my  letters,  I  considered 
his  third  edition  with  more  leisure,  and  found  that  a  particu- 
lar notice  of  it  would  have  served  rather  to  enlarge  than 
diminish  my  censure.  Besides,  the  sensible  reader  will 
readily  reflect,  that  as  the  writings  of  such  an  author  have  m 
good  chance  of  soon  running  out  into  many  editions,  whatever 
edition  I  had  chosen  to  remark  upon  might,  before  I  had 
finished  my  remarks,  have  been  followed  by  another,  and 
accordingly  the  pretended  cause  of  complaint  still  have 
remained.  If  then  a  reason  were  to  be  assigned  for  the  com- 
plaint suitable  to  the  temper  with  which  it  has  been  urged, 
I  apprehend  it  must  turn  upon  this,  that  I  should  have  been 
so  presumptuous  as  to  point  my  severest  censure  against  the 
doctrine  most  acceptable  to  the  strictest  sect  of  the  national 
religion,  whatever  book,  or  whatever  edition  of  any  book  I 
had  chosen  to  attack  it  in.  In  confirmation  of  this,  it  may  be 
observed,  that  the  three  forementioned  sermons,  which  were 
published  some  months  after  my  letters,  have  proved  no 
less  acceptable  to  'the  complainers  than  all  the  editions  of 
the  dialogues.  Yet  nowhere  more  palpably  than  in  those 
sermons,  has  the  author  laboured  to  change  the  gospel  of 
the  Divine  grace  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  into  a  self- 
righteous  and  political  scheme. — Self-righteous  while  he 
leads  men  to  make  use  of  Christ  as  their  assistant  in  fulfilling 
the  law,  that  thereby  they  may  save  their  souls  alive,  and 
while  he  comments  in  sucli  a  manner  on  Ezek.  xviii,  27,  as 
serves  to  deiace,  or  rather  abolish  the  difference  between 
living  by  the  works  of  the  law  and  living  by  faith,  even  that 
grand  difference,  which  I  may  say  the  New  Testament  was 
writ  to  elucidate.  Political,  while  he  leads  Britons'to  con- 
sider the  true  atonement  as  a  like  defence  to  them  from  the 
sword  of  the  French,  as  the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  was  to 
Israel  from  the  punishment  inflicted  on  Egypt. 

Though  Mr.  Hervey  is  now  removed  from  the  field  of 
controversy,  and  how  soon  his  opponent  may  follow  him  is 
uncertain,  yet  all  on  whose  minds  the  Scripture  has  more 


APPENDIX.  419 

weight  than  the  empty  noise  of  g-iddy  miihitudcs,  will  readily 
perceive,  of  how  small  consideration  the  life  or  death  of  any 
sinful  mortal  ought  to  be  in  the  controversy  about  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints:  a  controversy  that  has  already 
outlived  many  generations,  and  will  continue  to  be  upheld, 
in  what  shape  Providence  pleases,  till  the  time  of  the  final 
determination  of  all  disputes:  and  I  may  add,  a  controversy 
wherein  every  man's  highest  interest  is  at  stake,  and  eventu- 
ally turns  upon  what  conclusion  his  mind  comes  to  about  it. 

Before  I  proceed  to  another  branch  of  my  subject,  I  would 
here  make  a  few  general  reflections  on  the  conduct  of  those 
who  any  way  interest  themselves  in  the  controversy  about 
the  faith.  None  appear  to  me  to  be  more  obnoxious  to  cen- 
sure from  the  Scripture,  than  those  who  go  about  to  diminish, 
obscure,  or  dissipate  the  capital  difiercnce  between  the  apos- 
tolic fiith  and  all  counterfeits  of  it,  even  the  grand  difference 
between  the  one  thing  needful,  and  every  addition,  however 
attfully  and  ambiguously  introduced.  As  the  Scripture  is 
clear  and  positive  on  the  point,  that  there  is  but  one  faith  that 
saves  men,  it  always  appears  so  far  respectable  in  any  man, 
as  betokening  something  like  the  action  of  conscience,  when 
we  see  him  steady  and  zealous  for  his  own  notion  of  faith  in 
opposition  to  every  other,  so  as  to  admit  no  other  to  stand 
either  in  competition  or  alliance  with  it.  All  neutrals,  trim- 
mers, and  reconcilers  in  this  case,  stand  more  especially 
obnoxious  to  the  censure  of  all  such  as  find  as  much  in  the 
gospel  as  determines  them  in  good  earnrst  to  take  a  side. 
The  former,  like  the  pretended  mother  before  Solomon's 
judgm-^nt-seat,  not  having  their  hearts  and  bowels  interested, 
are  willing  to  accommodate  matters,  by  halving,  dividing,  or 
destroying  the  capital  difference.  Whereas,  tTiose  who  find 
all  their  salvation  in  the  one  thing  needful,  ^nd  see  its  proper 
value  in  that  very  point  of  view  wherein  it  excels  or  differs 
from  everything  that  affects  either  competition  or  alliance 
M'ith  it,  find  themselves  interested  at  all  hazards  to  preserve 
the  difference  clear,  full,  and  entire. 

Yet  the  corruption  of  Christianity  has  from  the  beginning 
been  chiefly  introduced  by  the  more  prudent  and  respectable 
sort  of  mr-n,  who  desired  to  accommodate  matters  betwixt 
the  obnoxious  gospel  and  the  people  of  best  repute  for  piety 
and  good  sonse  :  by  men  who  desired  to  make  a  fair  show  in 
the  flesh,  and  to  do  their  utmost  that  the  offence  of  the  cross 
might  cease;  in  a  word,  by  men  who  had  the  interest  of 
religion  at  heart,  and  who  desired  nothing  more  than  to  see 
Christianity  flourish  and  prevail.     Such  were  the  men  who, 


420  APPENDIX. 

from  the  beg-inning-,  gave  the  greatest  disquiet  to  the  apostles, 
and  awakened  their  keenest  resentment.  They  had  the  ad- 
dress to  introduce  their  deviations  from,  or  additions  to  the 
truth,  so  privily  and  artfully,  as  to  persuade  many  that  they 
taught  the  same  gospel  with  the  apostles,  only  in  a  manner 
more  advantageous,  and  less  offensive  to  the  better  sort  of 
people.  On  such  occasions  we  see  how  much  the  anxiety 
and  jealousy  of  Paul  was  moved,  and  how  he  laboured  to 
convince  those  who  had  been  deceived  with  a  gospel  thus 
smoothed  to  the  taste  of  the  world,  that  they  had  been  be- 
witched with  what  was  in  reality,  and  in  effect,  another 
gospel :  however  much  art  was  used  to  make  it  appear  to  be 
at  bottom  the  same  with  what  he  preached.  Even  as,  in  his 
reasoning  against  the  Jews,  we  find  him  nice  to  the  last 
degree,  in  his  distinctions  about  grace,  while  he  maintains, 
that  grace  bestowed  on  those  who  appear  in  any  respect  more 
deserving  than  others,  is  in  reality  no  more  grace. 

The  attempt  made  to  deface  the  excellency  of  the  sole  re- 
quisite to  justification,  bear  no  small  resemblance  to  the 
methods  that  have  been  employed  to  eclipse  the  dignity  of  the 
Messiah's  person.  We  have  been  desired  to  conceive  a  vast 
extensive  scale  of  created  beings,  arising  from  the  lowest  and 
most  imperfect  condition,  even  from  the  meanest  reptile  or 
shell-fish,  up  to  man,  and  thence,  through  a  very  long  series 
of  angelic  natures,  gradually  ascending  in  perfection  till  it 
approach  very  near  to  the  summit  of  all  perfection,  or  to  the 
Deity.  Thus  men  have  endeavoured  to  enlarge  our  ideas  of 
creating  power,  and  extend  our  views  of  the  dominion  of  the 
Deity.  At  the  head  of  this  vast  scale  of  created  beings,  they 
place  the  Mediator,  next  step,  as  it  were,  to  the  Deity :  and 
thus,  'tis  presumed,  they  have  consuhed  his  honour  in  a  most 
advantageous  manner,  and  set  his  eminence  in  a  very  high 
point  of  view.  But  after  we  have  stretched  our  thoughts  to 
the  utmost,  and  exalted  our  ideas  of  created  excellency  as 
high  as  imagination,  aided  by  invention,  can  soar ;  what  a 
vast,  what  an  infinite  gap  do  we  find  remaining  unfilled  up 
betwixt  the  highest  creature  and  tlie  Deity  !  and  how  vast  the 
disproportion  between  the  remaining  gap  and  the  whole  scale 
of  created  being  beside  !  Yea,  the  disproportion  here  is 
infinitely  greater  than  that  between  the  circumference  of  the 
earth  and  the  circumference  of  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind. 
So  we  must  conclude,  when  we  think  of  him  before  whom 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing ;  who 
doih  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or 


APPENDIX.  421 

say  unto  him  what  dost  thou  7  All  creatures,  then,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  in  point  of  dependence,  stand  at  an  equal 
distance  from  the  Deity  ;  and  all,  conscious  of  their  depen- 
dence, are  equally  bound  to  obedience  and  unreserved  sub- 
mission to  his  will. 

Now,  if  it  w^as  necessary,  that  a  substitute  should  work  a 
righteousness  for  guilty  men,  the  question  arises.  Who  was 
equal  to  the  great  undertaking?  Was  the  highest  angel,  or 
the  highest  creature  imaginable?  Far  be  it!  It  is  impious 
at  first  view  to  suppose  it  possible  for  any  creature  to  supere- 
rogate,  or  do  more  in  the  way  of  obedience  to  the  Deity, 
than  he  is  strictly  bound  to  for  himself,  by  virtue  of  his  natu- 
ral dependence;  therefore,  none  was  fit  for  the  task,  but  a 
person  w^ho  naturally  had,  so  could  without  robbery,  or 
without  any  degree  of  disloyalty,  claim  independence.  Nor 
could  such  a  person  be  found  without  the  revealed  distinction 
in  the  Deity.  According  to  that  distinction,  we  find  the  ma- 
jesty, authority,  sovereignty,  or  independence  of  the  Deity, 
preserved  in  the  person  of  the  Father;  while  we  behold  it 
honoured  and  illustrated  in  the  most  striking  view,  by  the 
unparalleled  condescension  and  submission  of  the  Son  ;  even  of 
him,  who,  in  his  lowest  condition,  could  say,  I  and  the  Father 
are  one  ;  and  as  to  all  works  peculiar  to  the  Deity,  from  the 
creation  downward,  could  say,  My  Father  ivorketh  hitherio, 
and  1 100  rk. 

Again,  if  the  law  to  be  honoured  by  the  substitute  was  a 
law  given  to  men,  or  a  law  respecting  the  nature  and  situation 
of  men,  then  it  was  necessary  that  the  substitute  should  be 
truly  and  properly  a  man :  for  the  majesty  and  wisdom  of 
God,  in  giving  a  law  to  men,  could  never  be  evinced  to  their 
satisfaction,  if  that  \<i\v  was  never  honoured  with  perfect  obe- 
dience in  any  one  instance;  or,  in  other  words,  if  it  was  not 
perfectly  and  notoriously  obeyed  by  a  man.  If  obedience 
then  was  performed  by  one  man,  under  an  appeal  to  the  most 
explicit  declaration  of  the  Divine  law,  in  its  utmost  extent,  in 
the  midst  of  every  disadvantageous,  discouraging,  and  intimi- 
dating circumstance,  and  opposed  by  all  other  men,  yet  hon- 
oured as  faultless  with  the  highest  testimonies  of  approbation 
on  the  part  of  heaven;  then  the  perfection  and  incomparable 
excellency  of  such  obedience  must  shine  forth  with  the  clear- 
est and  most  unexceptionable  splendour.  And  such,  according 
to  the  Scripture,  was  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
often  took  pleasure  to  design  himself  the  Son  of  man,  ihexehy 
denoting  his  proper  manhood,  while  showing  himself  to  be 
36 


422  APPENDIX, 

the  Son  of  God,  by  doing  the  works  and  speaking  the  words 
proper  only  to  the  Most  High. 

Now,  that  such  a  Divine  righteousness  is  necessary  for 
the  relief  of  guilty  men,  may  appear  from  all  the  trials  that 
have  been  made  by  those  who  have  laboured  most  seriously 
and  diligently,  in  following  after  righteousness,  or  in  the 
business  of  establishing  their  own  righteousness.  The  chief 
hope  of  success  in  those  trials  has  arisen  fiom  the  observable 
series  of  the  many  degrees  of  difference  or  excellency  be- 
tween the  most  despicable  and  the  most  respectable  character 
among  men.  This  series  is  variously  tractd  by  men  of  dif- 
ferent complexions ;  as,  from  the  basest  degree  of  barbarity 
to  the  highest  of  politeness,  from  the  lowest  knavery  to  the 
highest  honesty,  from  the  most  illiterate  to  the  most  learned, 
the  savage  to  the  philosopher,  &c.  But  the  chief  and  most 
extensive  series  is  from  the  most  profane  person  to  the  most 
respectable  devotee.  The  person  who,  being  eminent  in 
every  other  respect,  shines  also  in  devotion,  is  considered  as 
not  very  much  inferior  to  the  Most  High,  and  is  even 
talked  of  as  a  kind  of  deity  upon  earth.  Such  persons,  it  is 
acknowledged,  rarely  appear;  but  then,  where  living  exam- 
ple fails  us,  romance,  legend,  and  fine  imaginations  borrowed 
from  expected  revivals  of  religion,  come  into  our  aid,  and 
help  to  elevate  our  ideas  of  human  virtue  and  piety  a  hun- 
dred degrees  beyond  what  we  ever  see  in  real  life.  And  the 
reader  who  can,  while  he  is  reading,  admire  such  elevated 
virtue,  fondly  supposes  himself  on  the  road  to  the  distant 
point,  and  ready  to  make  more  speedy  progress,  if  he  could 
only  find  suitable  encouragement  and  concurrence.  Yet  if 
it  be  seriously  inquired,  what  it  is  at  bottom  that  on  such 
occasions  most  captivates  the  hearts  of  men  with  admiration 
and  fond  hope,  it  will  be  found  to  be  something  very  different 
from  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  disallowed  of 
men  even  when  shining  with  the  most  heavenly  lustiebefoie 
their  eyes. 

The  forementioned  hope  of  success  likewise  arises  from 
the  many  observable  degrees  of  improvement  in  the  charac- 
ter of  the  same  individual.  Well  adapted  to  cherish  that 
hope  are  our  most  approved  accounts  of  the  rise  and  progress 
of  religion  in  the  soul,  proceeding  from  the  long  chapter  of 
convictions,  through  the  following  ones  of  good  endeavours, 
desires,  resolves,  &c.  And  though  this  matter  is  sometimes 
greatly  abridged,  in  order  to  retain  some  respect  lo  the  facfs 
recorded  in  the  New  Testament  ;  yet,  as  the  teacher's  skill 


APPENDIX.  423 

chiefly  appears  in  marking  out  a  series  of  various  stages 
between  the  profane  person  and  the  well-formed  professor,  so 
likewise,  the  attention  of  the  reader  or  hearer  is  chiefly  cap- 
tivated with  such  a  series,  so  that  he  is  apt  to  suspect  matters 
will  not  be  right  with  him  if  he  go  not  regularly  through 
the  several  stages. 

All  excellency  among  creatures  rises  in  proportion  to  the 
observable  degrees  of  inferiority,  but  no  sooner  do  we  turn 
our  eyes  to  the  province  of  the  Deity  than  all  such  excellency 
evanishes,  like  that  among  the  stars  before  the  sun.  The  case 
of  a  guilty  person  following  after  righteousness  may  be  illus- 
trated by  the  similitude  commonly  applied  to  the  insatiable 
thirst  after  gain.  He  is  like  one  ascending  a  very  high 
mountain,  which  beguiles  the  eye  with  the  successive  view 
of  many  intervening  summits  betwixt  him  and  the  highest. 
Every  next  summit  promises  him  the  satisfaction  of  his 
desired  rest,  till  having  attained  it,  he  finds  the  prospect  as 
distant  as  before.  But  nowhere  does  the  similitude  halt 
more  than  in  the  present  case.  Here  the  weary  traveller, 
having  reached  his  utmost  accessible  point,  on  having  his 
view  extended,  finds,  after  all,  the  distance  betwixt  him  and  a 
sure  resting  place  to  be  immense,  and  that  his  remaining 
task  is  equal  to  that  of  scaling  the  heavens. 

Though  nothinor  short  of  effectual  and  sad  disappointment 
on  the  trial  will  convince  any  man  of  the  folly  of  his  self- 
justifying  labour ;  yet,  on  an  appeal  to  the  consciences  of  all 
those  who  have  applied  themselves  most  seriously  to  this 
labour,  it  will  be  found  that  such  disappointment  is  its  sure 
attendant.  However  hopefully,  yea,  and  however  much 
with  apparent  success,  young  beginners  may  proceed  for  a 
while,  yet  the  longer  and  the  more  seriously  men  are  employed 
in  religion,  the  more  importunate  do  they  find  the  damping 
question,  What  lack  I  yet  ?  But  when  the  most  resf)ectable 
person  for  religion  comes  to  be  withdrawn  from  the  conside- 
ration of  what  gave  him  importance  before  men,  or  from  the 
self-satisfying  contemplation  of  the  many  degrees,  in  point  of 
character  below  him,  on  which  his  excellency  was  elevated; 
and  when  his  mind  comes  to  be  wholly  occupied  with  the 
question,  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow 
my  a"! f  before  the  high  God?  then  the  scale  by  which  his 
excellency  was  formerly  measured,  shrinking  into  nothing, 
the  height  of  the  Divine  justice,  and  the  extent  of  the  Divine 
law,  open  the  prospect  of  an  immense  distance  betwixt  him 
and  the  perfection  his  conscience  calls  for. 

H  e  who  came  to  obey  for  men,  had  a  full  view  of  this 


42*  APPENDIX. 

height,  extent,  and  distance.  The  sentiment  of  his  heart  is 
thus  described,  "  Thy  righteousness,  O  God,  is  very  high. — 
O  God,  who  is  like  unto  thee ! — I  have  seen  an  end  of  all 
perfection,  but  thy  commandment  is  exceeding  broad !"  Yet, 
with  all  this  in  his  eye,  he  could  hold  up  his  face  before  the 
Father,  and  confidently  say,  "  I  have  glorified  thee  on  the 
earth ;  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to 
do."  Putting  his  obedience  in  balance  with  the  perfection  of 
the  Divine  law,  he  could  say,  "  Let  my  sentence  come  forth 
from  thy  presence,  let  thine  eyes  behold  the  things  that  are 
equal."  Laying  open  his  inmost  thoughts  to  the  judgment 
of  omniscience,  he  could  say,  "  Search  me,  O  God,  and 
know  my  heart ;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts ;  and  see 
if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way 
everlasting."  Resting  the  perfection  of  his  obedience  on  the 
most  awful  appeal,  he  could  say,  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my 
heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me;  but  verily  God  hatli  heard 
me,  he  hath  attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer." 

This  perfect  obedience  is  frequently  called,  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  the  righteousness  of  God;  because  the 
Father  sent  the  Son  to  perform  it,  supported  him  by  the  aid 
of  the  eternal  Spirit  in  the  whole  of  his  work,  and  at  last 
crowned  him  with  the  highest  testimonies  of  his  approbation 
and  delight,  when  they  glorified  him  in  that  body  wherein  he 
w^as  humbled,  with  that  same  glory  wherein  he  was  partner 
with  the  Father  before  any  creature  was. — Nothing  short  of 
the  knowledge  of  this  Divine  righteousness  can  reconcile  men 
to  that  gospel  which  sets  at  nought  all  the  boasted  distinctions 
among  men ;  and  nothing  less  can  show  men  the  force  and 
propriety  of  Paul's  words,  when  he  says,  "  The  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  against  God  :  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God, 
neither,  indeed,  can  be.  So,  then,  they  that  are  in  the  flesh 
cannot  please  God." 

If  the  dignity  of  this  righteousness  had  risen  according  to 
the  dignity  by  which  human  worth  is  rated,  then  he  who 
wrought  it  would  have  allowed  the  characters  most  esteemed 
among  men  to  rank  next  to  his  own;  he  would  have  given 
the  men  of  such  characters  readiest  access  to  his  presence  and 
favour;  he  would  have  consorted  chiefly  with  them,  as  being 
the  most  eminent  person  among  them,  or  their  proper  head 
and  leader.  But  this  righteousness  being  divine,  like  every 
thing  else  that  is  divine,  stands  at  an  equal  distance  from  all 
that  can  be  called  high  or  low,  great  or  little,  among  men.* 

*  When  the  Scripture  condescends,  for  our  instruction,  to  use  the 


APPENDIX.  425 

Therefore,  that  this  equal  distance  might  appear,  it  was  proper 
and  necessary  that  every  character  that  made  the  most  ibr- 
vvard  advance,  and  claimed  the  greatest  preference  among 
men,  should  meet  with  the  strongest  repulse  from  the  righte- 
ous one,  even  as  the  gospel  history  everywhere  shows  the 
fact  really  happened.  The  fact  took  place  according  to  his 
repeated  declaration,  "Many  that  are  first  shall  be  last,  and 
the  last  shall  be  first.'"  John  the  Baptist,  who  came  to  inti- 
mate his  approach,  said,  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.— 
Every  valley  shall  be  filled,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall 
be  brouo^ht  low."  Isaiah  foretold,  that  his  appearance  would 
be  attended  with  the  debasing  of  every  thing  that  is  high  and 
lifted  up  among  men.  And  Simeon,  beholding  him  when  a 
babe,  s  lid,  "This  child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again  of 
many  in  Israel." 

The  great  peculiarity  of  the  gospel  is  the  high  idea  it  gives 
men  of  Divine  perfection.  Every  other  scheme  teaches  men, 
that,  by  the  progress  and  improvement  of  nature,  properly- 
assisted,  they  may  approach  near  to  what  is  Divine.  Thus 
men  are  at  bottom  led  to  think  of  the  Deity  no  otherwise  than 
as  of  the  gfrandest  imaginable  creature,  the  first  in  the  scale 
of  beings,  or  the  first  being  in  nature.  No  sentiment  is  more 
fondly  embraced  among  men  than  that  contained  in  the  follow^ 
ing  lines. 


Nature  delights  in  progress. 


O  be  a  man !  and  thou  shall  be  a  god  .' 
And  half  self-made  .'  ambition  how  divine ! 

The  Scripture  speaks  in  a  very  difll^rent  strain  to  men,  when 
it  represents  the  Deity,  saying,  '*  Hearken  unto  me  ye  stout- 
liearted,  and  far  from  righteousness;  I  bring  near  my  righte- 
ousness,— my  salvation  shall  not  tarry."  The  gospel,  which 
declares  the  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy,  does  not  save 
men  by  instructing  them  what  to  do,  and  stimulating  their 
emulation,  but  by  declaring  what  God  himself  hath  wrought  j 


lan;2:ua^e  of  comparison  between  human  and  Divine  excellency,  it  does 
it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  s!m,\v  tliat  the  latter  scorns  all  comparison  with 
the  former;  for  instaiice,  Tlic  fuolishnrss  of  God  is  wiser  titan  wen,  and 
the  ircfilcness  of  God  is  stronger  tJuin  men.  Here  is  a  strange  pecutiarily 
of  style,  the  force  of  wliich  must  be  abated  rather  than  heiglitened  by 
anv  paraphrase.  But  one  thing  is  evident  at  first  view,  that  it  is  adapted 
in  the  most  striking  manner  to  put  all  Imman  excellency  to  the  blu.shj 
and  cover  it  with  <;onfnsion, 
36* 


426  APPENDIX. 

even  as  the  prophet  Isaiah  taught  men  to  expect,  when  he 
said,  "  Lord,  thou  wih  ordain  peace  for  us  ;  for  thou  also  hast 
wrought  all  our  works  for  us." 

Christian  teachers  generally  set  the  righteousness  of  the 
Messiah  in  the  same  position  toward  men,  as  the  Jews  did  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  :  and  the  self-justifying  labour  mark- 
ed out  for  the  hearers  is  made  to  consist  in  their  serious 
endeavours  to  come  within  reach  of  that  righteousness. — Let 
us  hear  the  Divine  address,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  to  Israel, 
who  followed  after  righteousness :  "  Hearken  to  me,  ye  that 
follow  after  righteousness,  ye  that  seek  the  Lord  :  look  unto 
the  rock  whence  ye  are  hewn,  and  to  the  hole  of  the  pit 
whence  ye  are  digged.  Look  unto  Abraham  your  father, 
and  unto  Sarah  that  bare  you;  for  I  called  him  alone,  and 
blessed  him,  and  increased  him."  The  instruction  here  given 
may  be  paraphrased  thus.  "  Consider  the  origin  of  your 
nation,  and  remember  that  ye  sprung  from  Abraham  and 
Sarah,  when  according  to  nature,  they  were  equally  incapable 
of  having  children  as  the  dead  to  rise  from  their  graves. 
Remember,  that  ye  were  produced  by  power  equally  superior 
to  the  power  of  nature,  as  if  ye  had  been  formed  of  stones 
from  the  rock,  or  of  clay  from  the  pit." 

The  faith  of  Abraham,  in  the  case  now  referred  to,  is  set 
forth  as  a  pattern  of  faith  to  all  that  believe ;  even  as  the  mira- 
cle of  his  becoming  a  father  is  a  pattern  of  the  power  by 
which  men  are  made  righteous.  Abraham,  along  with  the 
promise  of  the  Messiah,  got  this  miracle  intimated  to  him  as 
a  present  pledge  of  the  future  fulfilment  of  the  promise.  And 
though  every  thing  in  nature  stood  against  the  hope  of  his 
being  a  father,  yet  he  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God 
through  unbelief  Paul,  declaring  that  his  faith  was  imputed 
to  him  for  righteousness,  adds,  "  Now  it  was  not  written  for 
his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him  ;  but  for  us  also  to 
whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  him  that  raisf  d  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead,  who  was  delivered  for  our 
offences,  and  was  raised  agam  for  our  justification." — All 
Abraham's  true  children,  in  a  manner  answerable  to  the  pat- 
tern of  his  faith,  perceiving  nothing  about  themst  Ives  that  can 
in  the  least  promote  th^ir  justification,  yea,  nothing  but  what, 
on  the  contrary,  serves  to  condemn  them,  do  yet  find  all  that 
is  needful  to  justify  them  in  the  Divine  word,  testifying  of 
Christ  as  delivered  for  the  offences  of  sinners, and  raised  again 
for  their  justification. — And  all  such  find  strict  truth  and  pro- 
priety in  the  words  of  Paul,  when  he  says,  "  As  by  one  man's 


APPENDIX.  427 

disobedience  many  were  made  sinners  ;  so  by  the  obedience  of 
one  shall  many  be  made  righteous." 

The  gospel  is  called  the  preaching  of  peace  to  them  that 
are  afar  off,  and  to  them  that  are  near.  All  who  partake  of 
this  peace,  obtain  it  by  creating-  power,  and  not  by  the  ordi- 
nary power  that  upholds,  assists,  or  forwards,  the  course  and 
progress  of  nature.  So  runs  the  Divine  word  by  Isaiah : 
*'  I  create  the  fruit  of  the  lips ;  peace,  peace  to  him  that  is  far 
off,  and  to  him  that  is  near,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  heal 
him  "  The  Messiah,  by  a  striking  sign,  showed  himself  able 
to  speak  peace  to  the  most  troubled  conscience,  when  he 
relieved  his  disciples  from  imminent  danger  by  rebuking  the 
wind,  and  saying  to  the  sea,  "  Peace,  be  still :"  and  the  wind 
ceased  and  there  was  a  great  calm. 

Where  creating  power  interposes,  it  is  evident,  that  all  con- 
sideration of  fitness  in  any  creature  to  concur  with  it,  or  for- 
ward its  operation,  must  be  utterly  superseded. — The  Jews 
were  in  many  respects  near  to  the  Messiah  ;  and  the  Gentiles, 
in  respect  of  them,  were  afar  off:  yet  that  the  Divine  salvation 
might  bear  the  same  aspect  to  all  who  partook  of  it,  matters 
were  so  ordered,  that  the  Jews,  through  their  unbelief  and 
religious  spite,  were  removed  to  full  as  great  a  distance  as  the 
remotest  of  the  Gentiles.  So  Paul,  addressing  the  latter  con- 
cerning the  former,  says,  "  Even  so  have  these  also  now  not 
believed,  that,  through  your  mercy,  they  also  may  obtain 
mercy ;"  that  is,  that  such  of  the  Jews  as  were  saved  might 
be  brought  nigh,  merely,  so  to  speak,  on  the  footing  of  Gentile- 
mercy.  That  this  is  his  meaning,  is  evident  from  the  next 
verse;  "For  God  hath  concluded  all  in  unbelief  (or  disobe- 
dience,) that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all."  On  this  occa- 
sion Paul  exclaims  in  the  verse  following:  "O  the  depth  of 
the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !" — Paul 
beheld  the  majesty  of  the  Divine  character  chiefly  there, 
where  the  wise  and  prudent  find  their  chief  handle  to  scoff 
and  sneer,  and  where  the  men  of  first  repute  for  piety  chiefly 
point  their  solemn  contempt  and  disdain. 

Of  all  the  Jews,  none  could  be  reckoned  nearer  to  the  Mes- 
siah than  the  citizens  of  Nazareth,  where  he  grew  up  from  a 
child  to  the  age  of  thirty.  Yet  lliey,  by  their  mortal  spite,  mani- 
fested in  a  resolute  attempt  to  destroy  him,  for  no  other  reason 
than  his  declaring  before  them  the  Divine  grace  in  its  genuine 
simplicity,  evidently  forfeited  all  claim  of  nearness  to  him 
beyond  the  remotest  heathen. — Paul  was  once  a  zealous  Jew, 
and  had  a  first  ra-te  character  among  his  countrymen  ;  yet, 
writing  to  Timothy,  in  order  to  show  that  the  grace  which 


428  APPENDIX. 

saved  him  was  exceeding  abundant,  he  first  gives  a  list  of  the 
most  infamous  characters  amonc:  the  heathen,  then  draws  his 
ov/n,  and  concludes  thus:  "This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  the  foremost.  And 
the  inference  he  draws  amounts  to  this,  That  after  him,  no  one 
needs  to  despair. 

Though  the  doctrine  I  have  been  insisting  on  shines  clear 
as  the  light  of  the  sun  throughout  the  whole  Scripture,  though 
all  the  principal  facts  and  reasonings  recorded  there  evidently 
centre  here,  yet  if  any  one  shall  take  the  liberty  lo  affirm  it 
confidently  in  the  face  of  the  public,  the  most  moderate  cen- 
sure he  can  expect  from  fashionable  Christians  is,  that  of 
being  destitute  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity :  while  the  more 
zealous  and  devout  will  not  hesitate  to  declare  him  eminently 
influenced  by  Satan.  Nor  can  it  be  imagined  the  case  will 
be  otherwise,  while  the  v/ords  of  the  Messiah  stand  true. — 
His  warning  to  his  disciples  is  thus  recorded.  Matt,  x,  "  Ye 
shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake. — The  disciple 
is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord. — If 
they  have  called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how^ 
much  more  them  of  his  household  ?"  Jesus  Christ,  careful 
to  prevent  his  disciples  forgetting  these  words,  reminds  them 
in  this  manner,  John  xv,  "  Remember  the  word  that  I  said 
unto  you,  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  the  lord.  If  they 
have  persecuted  me,  they  will  also  persecute  you  ;  if  they  have 
kept  my  saying,  they  will  keep  yours  also."  The  truth  of 
the  gospel  then  stands  or  falls  with  the  foretold  opposition  to 
it.  However  much  then  the  seed  of  the  serpent  may  frown 
or  sneer,  or  even  in  their  rage  resume  the  old  cry,  "  He  hath 
a  devil,  and  is  mad,  why  hear  ye  him  ?  yet  the  united  spite 
of  the  whole  generation  of  vipers  ought  to  have  no  other  effect 
on  them  who  love  the  sacred  truth,  than  to  confirm  their  per- 
suasion of  it,  and  consequently  animate  them  to  a  more  hearty 
and  zealous  contention  for  it. 

As  the  gospel  stands  opposed  to  the  wisdom  of  the  Greek, 
as  well  as  the  devout  zeal  of  the  Jew,  it  may  be  proper  now 
to  take  some  particular  notice  of  the  philosophers. 

In  my  fourth  letter,  under  the  head  of  Reason,  I  have  at 
some  length  considered  a  noted  book,  called  "Essays  on  the 
Principles  of  Morality  and  Natural  Religion."  Since  my 
letters  were  first  published,  that  book  has  undergone  a  second 
edition,  in  1758,  with  alterations  and  additions.  Though  the 
alterations  are  indeed  very  considerable,  I  da  not  here  intend 


APPENDIX.  429 

to  insinuate  that  ihey  have  been  caused  by  my  nnimnd  version. 
No  :  for  if  1  should,  the  nature  of  them  would  show  the  con- 
trary. 

But  the  second  edition  naturally  suggests  this  rcflc  ction, 
That  the  nearer  philosophy  approaches  to  truth,  and  the 
philosopher  to  the  grave,  the  less  comfort  can  the  latter  draw 
from  the  former:  Philosophy  loses  her  captivating  bloom  of 
wisdom,  and  the  chief  support  of  the  philosopher's  confidence 
fails  him. 

In  the  first  edition,  we  beheld  the  throne  of  virtue  highly 
elevated,  upon  a  nice  and  artificial  set  of  feelings,  a  peculiar 
sort  of  glory  thrown  around  her,  and  a  sort  of  extraordinary 
machinery  introduced  for  her  sake.  But  what  was  most 
extraordinary  of  all,  and  most  comfortable  for  such  as  were 
in  hazard  of  leaving-  the  world  with  a  bad  conscience,  was, 
that  all  the  operations  of  conscience,  respecting  praise  or 
blame,  rested  upon  an  illusive  foun^j^tion,  which,  when  human 
nature,  by  mellowing  in  the  grave,  attained  its  full  maturity, 
was  wholly  to  evanish  in  the  light  of  philosophic  truth. 

In  the  second  edition,  the  main  wheel  in  this  machinery, 
or  rather  its  principal  spring  and  mover,  is  withdrawn,  being 
found  unworthy  to  exist  even  on  this  side  the  grave;  unwor- 
thy, even  in  the  condition  of  an  illusion  or  phantom  ;  so  it  is 
banished,  even  from  the  airy  regions  of  ideas.  The  opera- 
tions of  conscience  are  now  settled  upon  a  firm  foundation  ; 
he  wdio  acts  contrary  to  his  duty,  has  now  no  resource  for 
the  ease  of  his  mind,  in  leaving  the  world,  but  the  old  reply 
against  the  Deity,  "  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault ;  for  who 
hath  resisted  his  will?" — Yet  the  privilege  of  supererogating 
still  remains.  And  though  the  chief  project  of  wisdom  in 
the  constitution  of  man,  and  of  the  glory  thrown  around  vir- 
tue, has  evanished  ;  yet  our  author  is  very  loath  to  abate  the 
former  loftiness  of  his  style  on  that  head ;  he  has  found  it 
necessary  to  retrench  it  a  little ;  yet  he  still  endeavours  to 
support  the  general  strain  of  it,  though  his  principal  fund 
has  failed  him.  This  he  does  by  making  the  most  of  what 
remains.  The  sense  of  contingency  in  events,  which  for- 
merly meant  no  more  than  our  ignorance  of,  or  uncertainty 
about  fiUure  events,  is  now  erected  into  something  more  posi- 
tive, and  pronounced  to  be  an  original  law  in  human  nature, 
as  necessary  to  move  man  to  action  ;  since  without  it  he  could 
have  no  sense  of  power  to  direct  and  control  events.  It  was 
formerly  indeed  made  to  answer  the  same  end,  but  now  more 
advantageously. 

This  s':>nse  of  contingency  in  events,  together  with  the 


430  APPENDIX. 

sense  of  power  to  direct  and  conirol  them,  is  declared  to  be 
delusive,  and  contrary  to  the  truth  of  things.  And  this  delu- 
sive sense,  now  set  in  a  more  advantageous  light,  is  thought 
worthy,  nearly,  to  fill  not  only  its  own  former  place,  but  also 
that  of  the  other  delusive  sense  now  discarded.  This  alone 
is  admired  as  the  grand  contrivance  of  the  author  of  nature 
to  make  man  appear  with  an  air  of  independence,  or  being 
something  more  than  a  creature,  as  if  there  were  no  midst 
between  independence  and  involuntary  agency  ;  or  as  if  it 
were  inconsistent  that  man  should  be  a  voluntary  agent,  yet 
always  sensible  of  his  dependence.  An  apostle,  setting  aside 
his  authority,  appears  to  me  to  reason  much  more  intelligibly 
as  well  as  more  respectfully  of  the  Deity,  when  he  infers 
our  dependence  from  our  ignorance  of  to-morrow,  saying, 
"  Whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow, — ye 
ought  to  say,  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall  live  and  do  this  or 
that;"  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  all  confidence  about 
to-morrow,  that  carries  in  it  any  air  of  independence,  is  evil. 
If  further  evidence  shall  convince  our  author  that  his  delusive 
sense  of  contingency,  with  that  of  power  to  control  events, 
and  his  boasted  privilege  of  supererogating,  are  indeed  no 
less  unprofitable  delusions  than  he  has  already  found  his 
principal  delusion  to  be,  even  that  which  gives  the  chief 
brilliancy  to  his  former  scheme ;  then,  perhaps,  he  may 
come  to  find,  that  the  gospel  preached  by  the  fishers  of  Gali- 
lee contains  a  more  solid  and  satisfactory  scheme,  at  once 
more  beneficial  to  men,  and  more  respectful  to  the  Deity. 

Let  us  now  observe  with  what  a  good  grace  our  author 
parts  with- the  delusion  he  was  formerly  so  fond  of,  as  a  most 
wise  contrivance  to  serve  the  grandest  purposes. 

*'  I  acknowledge  it  to  have  been  once  my  opinion,  that  we 
have  a  delusive  sense  of  power  to  act  against  motives,  or  to 
act  against  our  own  inclinations  and  choice,  commonly  termed 
Liberty  of  indifference.  I  was  carried  along  by  the  current 
of  popular  opinion;  and  I  could  not  dream  this  sense  to  be  a 
pure  imagination,  when  I  found  it  vouched  by  so  many  grave 
writers.  I  had  at  the  same  time  a  thorough  conviction,  from 
the  clearest  evidence,  that  man  is  a  necessary  agent;  and,  there- 
fore, I  justly  concluded,  that  the  sense  of  liberty  of  indifference, 
like  that  of  contingency,  must  be  delusive.  I  yielded  to  another 
popular  opinion,  That  the  perceptions  of  the  moral  sense,  praise 
and  blame,  merit  and  demerit,  guilt  and  remorse,  are  incon- 
sistent with  necessity,  and  must  be  founded  upon  the  delu- 
sive sense  of  liberty  of  indifference.  From  these  premises, 
1  was  obliged,  though  reluctantly,  to  admit,  that  some  of  the 


APPENDIX.  431 

most  noted  perceptions  and  emotions  of  the  moral  sense  are 
entirely  built  upon  this  delusive  sense  of  liberty.  The  sub- 
ject being  handled  after  that  manner  in  the  first  edition  of 
this  book,  I  was  sensible  of  the  odium  of  a  doctrine  that  rests 
virtue  in  any  measure  upon  a  delusion  ;  and  I  stated  this  as 
the  first  objection,  in  order  to  remove  it  the  best  way  I  could. 
Candour  I  shall  always  esteem  essential  in  speaking  to  the 
public,  not  less  than  in  private  dealings ;  and  my  opinion  of 
the  wisdom  of  Providence  in  the  government  of  this  world 
is  so  firmly  established,  that  1  never  can  be  apprehensive  of 
harm  in  adhering  to  truth,  however  singular  it  may  appear 
upon  .some  occasions.  I  now  cheerfully  acknowledge  my 
errors;  and  am  happy  in  thinking,  that  I  have  at  last  got 
into  the  right  track.  It  appears  to  me  at  present  a  harsh 
doctrine,  that  virtue  in  any  part  should  be  founded  on  a  delu- 
sion, though  formerly  the  supposed  truth  of  the  doctrine 
reconciled  me  to  it.  It  gives  me  solid  satisfaction  to  find  the 
moral  sense  entirely  consistent  with  the  voluntary  necessity, 
which  I  must  pronounce  to  be  the  system  of  nature.  The 
moral  sense  makes  a  chief  branch  of  the  original  constitution  of 
man,  and  it  can  never  lose  its  authority  while  we  have  any 
feeling  of  pleasure  and  pain.  According  to  this  plan  of 
morality,  the  objection,  that  it  is  partly  founded  on  a  delusion, 
vanisheth ;  and  the  objection,  for  that  reason,  is  dropt  in  the 
present  edition." 

But,  then,  the  reader  will  perceive,  that  the  most  enticing 
wisdom  of  our  author's  former  scheme  is  at  the  same  time 
dropt,  and  its  chief  glory  faded.  In  considering  the  final 
cause  of  the  delusion  now  discarded,  in  answering  objections 
to  it,  and  in  his  endeavours  to  relieve  the  minds  of  men  from 
uneasy  apprehensions  about  the  Divine  benevolence,  he  had 
found  it  most  advantageously  adapted  to  serve  the  most  glo- 
rious ends.  Where  he  began  to  consider  it  with  regard  to 
its  final  cause,  even  in  his  very  entry  on  the  subject,  he 
showed  the  greatest  fondness  for  it,  saying  expressly,  (first 
edit.  p.  201,)  "  And  in  this  branch  of  our  nature  are  displayed 
the  greatest  wis  lorn  and  the  greatest  goodness."  Now,  it 
must  bo  acknowledged  to  be  no  small  stretch  of  candinir  in  a 
philosopher,  to  give  up  peaceably,  not  to  say  with  solid  sa- 
tisfaction, his  brightest  view  of  Divine  wisdom  and  goodness. 
It  is  nitural  to  think,  that  one's  highest  idea  of  Divine  per- 
fection should  rather  lead  him  to  conclude,  that  the  fact,  con- 
trivance, or  design  whence  it  arose,  behooved  to  be  something 
very  stablr,  certain  and  true,  so  far  mcro'  solid  than  any  de- 
lusion.     No  maxim  can  be  more  self-evident   than,  That 


432  APPENDIX. 

which  is  greatest  must  be  God  :  and  nothing  more  absurd 
than  to  suppose,  That  aught  greater  than  God  can  any  how 
be  imagined.  It  would  be  setting  the  love  of  truth  in  a  very- 
romantic  point  of  light,  to  suppose  one  influenced  by  it,  to 
give  up  his  belief  of  a  Deity;  yet  nearly  in  the  same  light 
must  we  consider  that  love  of  truth  which  leads  one  to  lower 
his  apprehensions  of  Divine  wisdom  and  goodness.  That 
our  author  has  been  led  to  this,  will  appear  by  the  alteration 
now  made  in  the  latter  branch  of  his  last  essay,  where  he 
treats  of  the  benevolence  of  the  Deity. 

Nothing  can  be  more  interesting  to  the  mind  of  man,  than 
to  know  how  matters  stand  betwixt  him  and  the  Deity.  Our 
author,  sensible  of  the  importance  of  the  subject,  had  said  in 
his  first  edition,  "As  we  cannot  say  too  much  upon  a  subject 
which  is  of  all  the  most  interesting,  1  shall  add  some  other 
considerations  to  justify  our  belief  of  the  pure  benevolence  of 
the  Deity."  And  he  saj^s  farther  in  both  editions,  "At  the 
same  time,  as  the  utmost  labour  of  thought  is  well  bestowed 
upon  a  subject,  in  which  mankind  is  so  much  interested,  I 
shall  proceed  to  suggest  some  reflections,  which  may  trnd  to 
satisfy  us,  that  the  instances  commonly  given  of  natural  and 
moral  evil  are  not  so  inconsistent  with  pure  benevolence  as 
at  first  sight  may  be  imagined." 

Undeniable  tokens  of  Divine  goodness  are  indeed  every 
where  manifest ;  yet  natural  and  moral  evil  every  where  ob- 
scure the  lustre  of  that  goodness  to  the  eye  of  man  ;  or  to  say 
the  same  thing  in  other  words,  throw  a  cloud  over  the  mind 
of  guilty  man,  damping  his  comfort  and  hope  in  reflecting  on 
that  goodness.  None  but  the  guilty  can  ever  be  affected  with 
the  least  shadow  of  an  objection  to  the  pure  benevolenct;  of 
the  Deity.  All  our  author's  labour,  then,  to  show,  "  that 
there  is  not  a  single  instance  to  be  met  with,  which  can  be 
justly  ascribed  to  malevolence  or  bad  intention"'  in  the  Deity, 
is  altogether  wide  of  the  point,  or  foreign  to  the  great  con- 
cern of  the  human  heart.  Men  daily  see  proofs  of  ill  inten- 
tion in  one  another,  but  no  mortal  could  ever  show  the  least 
token  of  ill  intention  in  the  Deity.  For,  if  none  but  the 
guilty  suffer,  nothing  can  thence  be  inferred  in  the  least  in- 
consistent with  the  purest  benevolence.  Yet  the  guilty  can 
find  no  comfort  in  reflecting  on  the  purest  benevolence.  If 
one  is  led  forth  to  execution,  as  an  ungrateful  traitor  to  the 
most  wise  and  beneficent  prince,  he  may,  indeed,  be 
persuaded,  that  his  misery  affords  no  just  imputation  on  the 
benevolence  of  his  prince;  yet  that  benevolence  can  yield 
him   no  comfort  in  his  present  condition,  but  must  rather 


APPENDIX.  438 

serve  to  embitter  his  last  moments,  as  a  high  aggravation  of 
his  crime. 

Our  author's  reasoning  about  the  Deity's  regarding  the 
whole  more  than  parlicidars,  which  is  his  last  resort  for  an 
answer  to  the  objection  arising  from  natural  evil,  is  so  trite, 
so  whimsical,  and  has  already  become  so  generally  ridiculous, 
that  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  offer  any  confutation  of  it.  Yet 
so  long  as  men  gravely  reason  in  this  manner,  it  may  with 
equal  gravity  be  inquired,  What,  or  where,  is  the  whole? 
For  if  death  puts  a  period  to  all  the  happiness  of  human  life, 
and  if  all  the  parts  which  make  up  the  whole  of  every  gene- 
ration since  the  world  began,  have  successively  arrived  at 
that  period  ;  then  we,  the  present  generation,  for  whose  bene- 
fit all  our  predecessors  have  been  destroyed,  are  for  the  time 
being  the  whole;  and  in  a  few  years  we  must  give  place  to 
another  whole,  and  so  forward.  I  insist,  therefore,  on  the 
question.  What,  or  where,  is  the  whole  1  or,  how  many  thou- 
sand ages  must  yet  revolve  before  a  permanent  and  happy 
whole  shall  begin  to  exist? 

We  must  see,  then,  what  our  author  has  to  say  of  natural 
evil  for  the  satisfaction  of  individuals.  In  a  general  view  of 
the  subject,  he  says,  "  It  can  afford  no  argument  against  the 
benevolence  of  the  Deity,  that  created  beings,  from  their  na- 
ture and  condition,  are  capable  of  pain,  supposing  in  the 
main,  their  life  to  be  comfortable."  And  afterward,  in  order 
to  show  "that  pain  and  distress  are  productive  of  manifold 
good  end.s,''  he  says,  "  In  the  first  place,  pain  is  necessary  as 
a  monitor  of  what  is  hurtful  and  dangerous  to  life."  In  short, 
the  sum  of  all  that  he,  or  any  other  philosopher,  has  to  say 
on  this  head,  amounts  to  this.  That  Divine  goodness  bears  a 
benevolent  aspect  toward  us  only,  so  i'ar  as  it  appears  in  any 
respect  providing  for  the  preservation  and  comfort  of  our  life; 
for  it  must  still  be  held  a  necessary  supposition,  even  according 
to  our  author,  that  our  life  be  in  the  main  comfortable.  But 
where  shall  we  find  a  philosopher  who  can  comfort  us  at 
the  approach  of  that  event,  which  naturally  extorts  from 
our  hearts  the  following  reflection  concerning  the  Deity? 
"Thou  tu most  man  to  destruction,  and  sayest.  Return,  ye 
children  of  m^n."  Yea,  do  not  all  the  tokens  of  goodness 
with  which  the  world  is  replenished,  the  air  we  breathe,  the 
food  we  eat.  &,c.,  at  last  conspire  to  put  an  end  to  that  life, 
which,  for  a  few  years,  they  preserved  and  cherished  ?  Be- 
sides, is  there  not  sometljing  in  man  that  denies  him  happi- 
ness, even  while  he  is  most  advantageously  sitrnited?  A  late 
writer,  who  would  be  considered  rather  as  a  philosopher  than 
37 


434  APPENDIX, 

as  a  poet,   showing  the   vanity  of  expecting  happiness  on 
earth,  concludes  his  argument  thus  : 

How  oft  the  scene  that  gives  delight 

At  morn,  otfends  the  eye  at  night  ? 

'Tis  not  the  want  of  that  or  this  ; 

Possession  is  the  bane  of  bhss: 

And  hence,  of  happiness,  we  see 

On  earth  th'  impossibihty.  Epist.  Pkilos.  Sf  Moral, 

But  our  author,  inclining  to  view  things  in  a  more  pleasant 
light,  makes  a  vigorous  efibrt  to  open  a  hopeful  prospect  to 
men.  I  shall  here  quote  a  few  of  his  words,  where,  in  his 
general  view  of  the  subject,  he  introduces  a  consideration, 
which  is  the  more  Avorthy  of  our  notice,  as,  says  he,  it  "  hath 
always  afforded  me  great  satisfaction.  Did  natural  evil 
prevail  in  reality  as  much  as  it  doth  in  appearance,  we  must 
expect  that  the  enlargement  of  natural  knowledge  should 
daily  discover  new  instances  of  bad,  as  well  as  of  good  inten- 
tion. But  the  fact  is  directly  otherwise.  Our  discoveries 
ascertain  us  more  and  more  of  the  benevolence  of  the  Deity, 
by  unfolding  beautiful  final  causes  without  number ;  while 
the  appearances  of  ill  intention  gradually  vanish,  like  a  mist 
after  the  sun  breaks  out.  Many  things  are  now  found  to  be 
curious  in  their  contrivance,  and  productive  of  good  effects, 
which  formerly  appeared  useless,  or  perhaps  of  ill  tendency. 
And,  in  the  gradual  progress  of  learning,  we  have  the  strong- 
est reason  to  expect,  that  many  more  discoveries  of  the  like 
kind  will  be  made  hereafter.  This  very  consideration,  had 
we  nothing  else  to  rely  on,  ought  to  make  us  r^st  with  assu- 
rance upon  the  intuitive  conviction  we  have  of  the  benevo- 
lence of  the  Deity,  without  giving  way  to  the  perplexity  of 
a  few  cross  appearances,  which,  in  matters  so  far  beyond  our 
comprehension,  ought  rationally  to  be  ascribed  to  our  own 
io-norance,  and  by  no  means  to  any  malevolence  in  the 
Deity."  Our  author  is  so  fond  of  the  hopeful  thought  here 
suo-o"ested,  that,  in  the  second  edition,  though  his  doubts  and 
perplexities  still  remain  uncleared  up,  he  has  chosen  to  add, 
immediately  after  the  words  last  quoted,  a  fresh  and  more 
sanguine  profession  of  his  hope,  in  the  following  words  :  "  In 
the  progress  of  learning,  the  time  may  come,  we  have  great 
reason  to  hope  it  will  come,  when  all  doubts  and  perplexities 
of  this  kind  shall  be  fully  cleared  up." 

It  were  to  be  wished  that  our  author  had  been  so  kind  to 
his  readers  as  to  inform  them,  for  their  comfort,  what  are  those 
modern  discoveries  which  have  so  much  comforted  himself 


APPENDIX.  435 

Has  he  found  out  any  method  of  doubling  the  length  and  joy 
of  man's  life?  If  that  were  the  case,  men  of  genius  at  least, 
might  yet,  by  the  gradual  progress  of  learning,  be  encouraged 
to  make  a  bold  push  for  immortality. —  Have  the  discoveries 
made  by  the  telescope  or  the  microscope  rendered  the  curious 
happier  or  better  men  than  those  who  never  saw  but  with  the 
naked  eye?  Have  the  modern  improvements  in  luxury  pro- 
moted either  the  strength  of  the  body  or  tranquillity  of  the 
mind  ?  And  as  to  the  course  of  Providence,  have  earthquakes, 
wars,  and  other  public  calamities,  been  less  frequent  in  our 
own  than  in  former  ages?  In  fine,  has  our  author  discov- 
ered any  remedy  of  sufficient  efficacy,  either  to  ward  off 
death,  or  to  restore  life  to  the  dead  ?  In  that  case,  indeed,  he 
might,  with  a  graceful  assurance,  hopethatthetime  of  clearing 
up  all  doubts  and  perplexities  was  nigh  at  hand.  But  this 
leads  us  to  take  a  view  of  our  author's  reflection  at  the  close 
of  this  branch  of  his  subject. 

Having  rummaged  all  nature  for  some  glimpse  of  comfort, 
he  at  last,  like  one  suspended  between  hope  and  despair, 
takes  an  anxious  look  of  the  grave,  as  if  he  would  fain  look 
beyond  it,  could  he  only  perceive  the  least  openirj^.  He 
boldly  attempts  to  use  the  language  of  hope,  while  yet  he  is 
obliged  to  confess,  he  has  no  solid  foundation  for  it,  and  that  it 
cannot  be  supported  by  fair  reasoning.  "  I  have,"  says  he, 
avoided  urging  any  argument  from  our  future  existence; 
though  it  affords  a  fruitful  field  of  comfort,  greatly  overbal- 
ancing the  transitory  evils  of  this  life.  But  I  should  scarce 
think  it  fair  reasoning  to  urge  such  topics  upon  this  subject, 
which  would  be  arguing  in  a  circle,"  &lc. 

Here  is  an  honest  acknowledgment.  But  the  question 
remains.  Whence  the  air  of  confidence  in  our  author's  hope  1 
If  it  has  no  real,  it  must  have  at  least  some  imaginary  foun- 
dation. We  have  a  hint  of  it  in  the  close  of  his  Essay  on 
Liberty  and  Necessity.  While  the  philosopher  is  solacing 
himself,  in  his  closet,  with  the  review  of  some  ingenious  dis- 
covery he  has  made,  by  which  he  is  greatly  exalied  above 
the  vulgar,  he  is  apt  to  wonder  at  his  being  admitted  to  such 
intimate  acquaintance  with  nature,  and  his  elevated  thoughts 
are  then  ready  to  suggest,  that  it  was  "  perhaps  that  some 
augurium,  some  intimation  may  be  given,  of  his  being  de- 
signed for  a  future  more  exalted  state  of  being,  &c. — Here  it 
may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  the  great  defect  of  philosophy 
lies  in  this,  that  its  fondest  hopes  are  founded  on  a  slippery 
j)erhaj)S. 

Now,  since  our  author  acknow^ledges  upon  one  occasion, 


436  APPENDIX. 

to  wit,  when  treating  of  liberty  and  necessity,  that  whatever 
peculiar  speculations  a  philosopher  may  have  on  that  subject, 
his  common  train  of  thought,  in  the  ordinary  occurrences  of 
life,  is  the  same  with  that  of  other  men,  it  is  natural  for  us  to 
inquire,  what  shall  comfort  a  philosopher  or  any  other  man, 
at  the  time  when  his  body  comes  to  be  filled  with  pain,  and  his 
mind  with  sad  foreboding:  when  the  blameable  and  foolish 
part  of  his  conduct  presses  so  hard  on  his  thoughts  as  to 
overbalance  all  his  wisdom  and  virtue,  and  natural  evil  is 
found  to  prevail  as  much  in  reality  as  philosophers  acknow- 
ledge it  does  in  appearance  ?  Or  what  augurium,  what  inti- 
tnation  has  he  then  concerning  a  future  state  1 

Our  author,  sensible  of  the  great  and  important  difficulty 
arising  from  this  quarter,  exerts  himself  at  the  close  of  his 
Essays  to  remove  it.  Moral  evil  is  indeed  the  universal  gall 
that  imbitters  all  the  afflictions  of  human  life.  And  that  is 
the  evil  which  chiefly  clouds  the  Divine  character  to  the  eye 
of  man.  Now,  it  is  in  obviating  the  weighty  objection  hence 
arising,  that  the  great  difference  between  the  two  editions  of 
the  Essays  is  chiefly  manifest.  In  the  former  edition  it  was 
obviated  in  this  manner. 

The  author,  after  referring  to  his  essay  on  Liberty  and 
Necessity,  proceeds  thus,  "  It  is  there  made  out,  it  is  hoped 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader,  that  the  feeling  which  we 
have  of  liberty,  does  not  correspond  to  the  truth  of  things; 
and  that  our  peculiar  manner  of  conceiving  human  actions, 
as  right  or  wrong,  and  as  praise  or  blame  worthy,  is  wholly 
founded  on  this  deceitful  feeling.  The  final  cause  of  this 
singular  feeling  is  also  there  laid  open  ;  that  it  is  happily 
adjusted  to  the  nature  of  man,  as  an  imperfect  being,  and  tends 
to  promote  virtue  in  an  eminent  degree.  This  discovery 
affords  a  solid  answer  to  an  objection,  which,  so  far  as  I 
know,  has  not  hitherto  received  any  good  answer.  And  it  is, 
that  the  objection  rests  entirely  upon  a  false  supposition,  as  if 
human  actions  were  seen  in  the  same  light  by  the  Deity,  in 
which  they  are  seen  by  men." 

In  the  second  edition,  the  notable  sentence  I  have  marked 
with  italics,  as  well  as  the  argument  in  which  it  stands,  is 
entirely  dropped.  And  guilty  men  have  nothing  now  to 
comfort  th(m  but  the  following  reflection:  We  have  a  just 
ground  of  conviction,  that  all  matters  are  by  Providence  or- 
dered in  the  best  manner,  and  therefore,  that  even  human 
vices  and  frailties  are  made  to  answer  wise  and  benevolent 
purposes.  Every  thing  possesses  its  proper  place  in  the 
Divine  plan.     All  our  actions  contribute  equally  to  carry  on 


APPENDIX.  437 

the  great  and  good  designs  of  our  Maker ;  and,  therefore, 
there  is  nothing  which  in  his  sight  is  ill ;  at  least  nothing 
which  is  ill  upon  the  whole." 

What  we  have  now  seen,  gives  us  a  very  unpromising 
view  of  the  gradual  progress  of  learning.  What  vvas  newly- 
found  in  1751  to  be  the  only  solid  answer  to  the  weightiest 
objection  against  human  happiness,  is  since  found,  in  1758, 
unworthy  to  exist  even  in  the  rank  of  delusions;  and  that 
even  by  the  inventor  himself  Here  I  cannot  help  express- 
ing my  agreement  with  those  who  declare  it  unbecoming  a 
wise  man  to  remove  any  support  of  human  happiness,  be  it 
real  or  imaginary,  unless  he  can  substitute  something  more 
solid  and  beneficial  in  its  place.  For  if  the  condition  of  men, 
with  regard  to  their  Maker  be  in  reality  desperate,  or  if 
heaven  has  provided  no  solid  ground  of  hope  for  them,  why 
should  any  man  seek  to  deprive  his  neighbour  of  any  dream 
or  fancy  that  may  contribute  to  his  present  amusement  ? 

Our  author  has  left  nothing  now  for  guihy  men  to  reflect 
on  for  their  comfort,  but  that  all  their  actions  contribute 
equally  to  carry  on  the  great  and  good  designs  of  their  Maker; 
and  that  even  their  vices  and  frailties  are  made  to  answer 
wise  and  benevolent  purposes.  And,  with  our  author's 
leave,  1  will  add,  so  also  are  their  punishments  and  miseries. 
For  he  has  warranted  us  to  say,  that  "  pain  is  the  great  sanc- 
tion of  laws,  both  human  and  Divine."  But  what  comfort 
can  it  give  to  one  who  is  doomed  to  misery,  and  has  no  solid 
ground  to  expect  he  shall  ever  be  delivered  fiom  it,  to  reflect 
that  his  guilt  and  misery  are  subservient  to  some  wise  and 
benevolent  purpose?  Yet  T  agree  with  our  author  in  main- 
taining, that  both  the  vices  and  miseries  of  men  are  made  to 
answer  wise  and  benevolont  purposes.  Who  sees  not  how 
greatly  the  triumph  of  Israel  was  he»ghtened  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Egyptians  in  the  Red  Sea  ?  and  who  sees  not  the 
grandeur  of  the  contrast,  which,  according  to  sacred  writ, 
will  take  place  at  last  between  two  great  divisions  of  man- 
kind? "And  again  thry  said,  Halleluja:  and  her  smoke 
rose  up  for  ever  and  ever." 

I  chose,  when  writing  my  letters,  to  remark  on  the  Essays^ 
as  containing  the  most  ingenious  scheme  of  philosophic  reli- 
gion 1  had  seen.  And  the  second  edition  of  the  Essays,  how- 
ever much  varying  from  the  first,  has  not  served  to  change 
my  opinion.  For  th^  peculiar  sort  of  glory  which  shone  in 
the  first,  has  confessedly  departed  from  the  second.  There- 
fore, in  this  new  odition  of  my  letters,  I  have  thought  it  best 
3?^ 


438  APPENDIX. 

to  let  my  animadversions  on  the  Essays  remain  in  the  same 
form  as  at  first. 

Our  author  appears  to  me  the  more  worthy  of  attention,  as 
he  has,  in  my  view,  traced  the  main  lines  of  our  natural 
knowledge  of  the  Deity,  and  of  our  duty,  in  a  simple,  easy, 
and  satisfactory  manner.  It  gives  me  pleasure,  to  see  so 
eminent  and  serious  a  theist,  who,  I  think,  cannot  justly  be 
charged  with  any  bias  in  favour  of  Christianity,  clearly 
evincing  an  universal  determining  Providence.  One  would 
think,  indeed,  that  a  very  short  process  of  reasoning  might 
serve  in  this  case.  For  if  once  it  be  admitted,  that  any  event 
can  happen  otherwise  than  the  Deity  intended,  we  are  at 
atheism  immediately.  Again,  where  our  author  gropes  in 
the  dark,  pleasing  himself  with  delusive  perceptions,  he  does 
it  in  company  with  all  other  philosophers,  who  have  sought, 
by  the  aid  of  philosophy,  to  open  a  prospect  of  hope  beyond 
the  grave.  Here  they  are  all  like  so  many  hounds  at  fault, 
who  have  entirely  lost  their  scent.  Accordingly,  after  they 
have  laboured  now  for  many  centuries,  availing  themselves 
of  each  others'  inventions,  we  find  them  at  this  day  as  unset- 
tled in  their  notions  as  ever,  even  in  the  most  interesting  and 
important  matters. 

Our  author  has,  in  his  second  edition,  settled  remorse  on 
a  firm  bottom  ;  but  then  he  has  removed  the  main  pillar  of 
hope.  And  thus  it  is  always  found,  that  the  nearer  philosophy 
approaches  to  truth,  the  sense  of  law,  obligation,  duty,  and 
remorse,  weighs  the  heavier,  while  the  ground  of  comfort 
and  hope  gradually  becomes  lighter  in  the  opposite  scale, 
till  at  last  it  quite  vanish  awa3^  As  the  course  of  nature  is 
the  province  of  philosophy^  so  death,  the  dissolution  of 
nature,  is  its  iie  -plus  uUra,  its  impassable  limit.  Yet  philo- 
sophers have  access  to  viev^  and  consider  the  soltm.n  and 
interesting  approach  of  man  to  that  limit.  And,  if  they 
could  read  the  lesson  it  naturally  exhibits,  perhaps  they 
might  come  to  find  something  worthy  of  their  attention  in 
that  gospel,  which  gives  the  only  account  that  ever  yet  could 
bear  being  twice  told,  of  a  comfortable  opening  beyond  that 
limit.  But  why  should  I  urge  this  reflection,  since  nothing 
less  than  the  evidence  of  the  gospel  can  embolden  one  to 
give  due  attention  to  the  last  stage  of  man's  life?  Accord- 
ingly, we  find,  that  philosophers,  who  examine  every  other 
appearance  in  nature  with  the  most  prying  look,  seldom  or 
never  incline  to  give  any  proportional  attention  to  the  last 
and  most  important  one. 

However,  it  may  give  those  who  love  the  Scripture  some 


APPENDIX.  439 

satisfaction  to  find,  that  the  farther  progress  philosophy 
makes,  the  more  phiinly  appears  its  insufficiency  to  help 
man  in  his  most  interesting  concern,  and  the  more  evidently 
shines  fortli  the  excellency  of  the  gospel  to  answer  that  (nd  ; 
which  without  amusing  us,  either  hy  delusive  perceptions  or 
cunningly  devised  fahles,  but  by  the  most  solid  truth,  built 
on  the  surest  facts,  clears  up  all  difficulties  about  the  condi- 
tion of  man  w^ith  regard  to  the  Deity;  which  not  only  con- 
sults the  happiness  of  man,  and  the  honour  of  the  Deity,  to 
the  best  advantage,  but  also  opening  to  view  a  grander  cha- 
racter of  the  Deity  than  could  be  learned  anywhere  else,  at 
the  same  time  clears  that  character,  in  the  most  satisfactory 
manner,  from  every  objection  arising  from  the  dark  side  of 
things.  And  thus  we  behold  great  propriety  in  the  words, 
wherein  is  delivered  the  message  which  the  apostles  received 
from  the  glorified  Messiah  :  "  'J'his  then  is  the  message 
which  we  have  heard  of  him,  and  declare  unto  you.  That 
God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all." 

By  an  appendix,  now  subjoined  to  the  Essay  on  Liberty 
and  Necessity,  it  appears  that  our  author,  on  an  occasion 
sufriciently  there  pointed  at,  has,  in  order  to  screen  himself 
from  the  imputation  of  heresy,  thought  it  expedient  to  shelter 
himself  among  such  great  orthodox  names  as  Calvin,  Tur- 
rettine,  Pictet,  and  the  late  Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  of  New 
England.  The  last  of  these,  who  was  then  alive,  thought 
fit  to  reject  the  offered  alliance,  as  appeals  by  a  small  pam- 
phlet, bearing  his  name,  published  at  Edinburgh,  1758,  call- 
ed, "Remarks  on  the  Essays,  &c.,  in  a  Letter  to  a  Minister 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland."'  This  letter  I  read  with  much 
satisfaction,  it  appearing  to  me  to  have  been  wrote  by  one 
thoroughly  master  of  his  subject.  It  is  enough  for  my  pur- 
pose at  present  to  quote  a  few  words  from  the  first  page, 
where  he  says,  "  I  think  it  must  be  evident  to  every  one 
that  has  read  both  his  Essa,?/.t  and  my  Inquiry,  that  our 
schemes  are  exceeding  reverse  from  each  other."* 

This  letter  led  me  to  read  his  octavo  book  just  now  refer- 
red to,  entitled,  A  Careful  and  Strict  Inquiry  into  the  Mod- 
ern Prevailing  Notions  of  that  Freedom  of  Will,  which  is 
Supposed  to  he  Essential  to  Moral  Agency,  Virtue  and  Vice, 
Reward  and  Punishment,  Praise  and  Blame.  It  appeared 
to  mc  not  onlv  answerable  to  its  title,   but  also  to  exhibit  a 


*  To  the  abovcmentioned  Letter  and  Inquiry,  I  refer  for  a  proper  an- 
swer to  the  reasonings  in  the  Essays,  on  the  dchisive  sen.-^e  of  contin- 
gency in  events. 


440  APPENDIX. 

more  full  and  clear  view  than  I  had  anywhere  else  seen,  of 
the  controversy  betwcei:>  the  doctrines  commonly  distinguish- 
ed by  the  epithets  Calvinist  and  Arminian.  As  this  book, 
which  was  published  in  1754,  (Boston,  New  England,)  is 
acknowledged  to  be  a  masterly  performance  in  its  kind,  one 
would  think  that  writers,  who  are  of  the  latter  persuasion, 
should  find  themselves  concerned  to  provide  a  pertinent 
answer  to  it.  The  author,  in  the  conclusion,  has  sufficiently 
hinted  his  challenge.  After  taking  notice  of  the  boldness  of 
writers  on  the  other  side,  he  adds,  "  Indeed  such  is  the  case, 
that  we  might,  if  so  disposed,  speak  as  big  words  as  they, 
and  on  far  better  grounds;  and  really  all  the  Arminians  on 
earth  might  be  challenged,  without  arrogance  or  vanity,  to 
make  these  principles  of  theirs,  wherein  they  mainly  differ 
from  their  fathers,  whom  they  so  much  despise,  consistent 
with  common  sense ;  yea,  and  perhaps  to  produce  any  doc- 
trine ever  embraced  by  the  blindest  bigot  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  or  the  most  ignorant  Mussulman,  or  extravagant 
enthusiast,  that  might  be  reduced  to  more,  and  more  demon- 
strable inconsistencies  and  repugnancies  to  common  sense 
and  to  themselves;  though  their  inconsistencies  may  not  lie 
so  deep,  or  be  so  artfully  veiled  by  a  deceitful  ambiguity 
of  wordvS,  and  an  indeterminate  signification  of  phrases." 

Though  this  writer's  professed  design  is  to  support  the  doc- 
trine of  the  gospel,  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  recommend  him  as 
giving  us  any  just  view  of  the  grand  point  of  a  sinner's  accept- 
ance with  God  ;  especially  as,  in  my  view,  the  whole  contro- 
versy is  of  very  little  consequence,  but  in  so  far  as  that  grand 
point  is  concerned.  Though  he  has  much  occasion  to  speak 
of  the  influence  of  commands,  invitations,  &c.  ;  yet,  so  far  as 
I  could  perceive,  he  takes  no  notice  of  any  difference  between 
the  gracious  command  that  freely  communicates  life  and 
hope  to  the  guilty,  and  any  other  command  requiring  the 
performance  of  some  duty  or  good  action  in  order  to  accept- 
ance with  God.  Or,  to  express  myself  in  fewer  words,  it  does 
not  appear  to  me  from  that  book,  that  he  has  duly  attended  to 
the  grand  opposition  stated  in  the  New  Testament  between 
the  laiv  of  faith  and  the  laio  of  icorks.  He  rather  seems  in 
agreement  with  the  bulk  of  the  reputed  orthodox,  (p.  169,)  to 
speak  o{  exerting  faith  in  Christ  as  on  a  footing  \\'\\}\  per  form' 
ing  other  spiritual  gospel  duties. 

Now,  before  I  close  this  appendix,  it  may  be  expected  I 
should  take  some  notice  of  the  pamphlets  that  have  been  writ 
on  occasion  of  my  letters. 

If  any  one  would  see  A  Sufficient  Answer  to  the  Author  of 


APPENDIX.  441 

the  Letters  on  Theron  and  Aspasio,  he  may  find  a  pamphlet 
so  called,  writ  by  no  less  a  man  than  Mr.  John  Wesley,  and 
to  be  purchased  at  no  greater  price  than  a  penny.  It  appears 
from  this  pamphlet  that  the  writer  is  very  angry  ;  and  it  must 
be  owned,  that  in  my  letters  1  had  said  nothing  to  please  him  ; 
for  near  the  close  of  the  last  of  them,  I  had,  as  I  still  think  was 
but  reasonable,  apologized  to  the  popular  preachers  for  rank- 
ing him  among  them. — As  1  cannot  say  that  this  writer  has 
treated  me  with  worse  language  than  he  had  formerly  done 
the  God  I  profess  to  worship,  I  cannot  decently  have  any  per- 
sonal quarrel  with  him.  We  have  heard  of  an  old  royal 
mandate,  which,  however  dissimilar  the  cases,  I  consider  as  a 
rule  proper  to  be  observed  on  the  present  occasion ;  The 
King^ s  commandinent  was,  saying.  Answer  him  not. 

However,  a  reply  has  been  given  him,  called  Remarks  on 
the  Reverend  Mr.  John  Wesley  s  Sufficient  Ansicer,  &c. 
Though  this  remarker  is  abundantly  keen  in  my  defence,  so 
far  as  he  thinks  me  defensible,  yet  I  apprehend  the  attentive 
reader  will  be  at  no  loss  to  perceive  that  his  zeal  and  mine  do 
not  run  altogether  in  the  same  channel.  It  will  be  perceived, 
I  presume,  that  the  peculiar  complexion  of  his  zeal  must 
appear  no  less  exceptionable  to  me,  than  mine  does  to  him, 
where  he  finds  himself  obliged  to  deliver  me  up  defenceless 
into  Mr.  Wesley's  hands. 

Other  two  pamphlets  have  appeared  ;  of  which  the  one  is 
called.  Animadversions  on  the  Letters  On  Theron,  (fcc,  and 
the  other,  A  Plain  Account  of  Faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  in 
Remarks  on  several  Passages  in  the  I^etters,  &c.  The 
author  of  the  former  charges  me  as  an  advocate  for  works 
to  the  prejudice  of  faith;  and  the  author  of  the  latter  charges 
me  as  an  advocate  for  faith  to  the  prejudice  of  works.  If 
these  two  gentlemen  would  read  each  the  other's  performance, 
and  then  take  another  glance  of  the  book  they  have  been 
remarking  on,  though  they  should  not  come  to  like  the  book 
any  better,  they  might  learn  to  oppose  it  more  pertinently. 
Yet,  to  deal  impartially  between  the  two,  the  latter  appears 
to  me  to  understand  better  what  he  is  doing  than  the  former. 
However,  as  it  was  my  purpose  to  contend  for  such  faith  and 
such  works  as  are  equally  obnoxious  to  the  dislike  of  the  reli- 
gious world,  I  have  no  reason  to  be  disconcerted  at  seeing  my 
book  disapproved  by  men  of  very  different  sentiments  in  reli- 
gious matters. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  expected  I  should  likewise  take  some 
notice  of  a  book  published  last  year,  and  advertised  in  he 
Scotch  papers,  as  containing,  among  other  things,  "ade«-C- 


442  APPENDIX. 

tion  of  some  ignorant  and  rash  notions  about  faith  and  con- 
scie?ice,  thrown  out  in  a  late  book,  entitled,  Letters  on  Theron 
and  AspasioJ'  But  as  the  author,  in  a  letter  to  his  publisher, 
which  I  have  seen,  has  declared  he  disapproves  that  adver- 
tisement, that  part  of  it  now  quoted  I  mean,  and  as  the  public 
is  not  now  sufficiently  authorized  to  apply  any  strictures  in 
his  book  to  mine,  I  apprehend  I  have  no  occasion  to  trouble 
the  public  with  any  particular  notice  of  them. 

I  have  only  to  add,  that  as  several  of  the  books  and  pam- 
phlets remarked  on  in  these  letters  rnay  have  undergone 
alterations  in  new  editions,  I  have  thought  it  proper,  to  pre- 
vent mistakes,  to  subjoin  the  date  of  the  first  publication  of 
the  letters  at  the  close  of  the  last  of  them. 

March,  1759. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


Since  Christianity,  by  the  address  of  the  clergy,  became 
an  engine  of  their  dominion,  almost  every  attempt  to  illus- 
trate tlie  truth  and  peculiar  excellence  of  that  religion  hath 
been  obnoxious  to  very  obvious  imputations.  And  many 
showing  a  readiness  to  allow  the  clergy,  whether  reignuig 
or  only  yet  aspiring,  to  be,  according  to  their  claim,  the 
genuine  successors  of  the  apostles  and  first  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  have  fondly  embraced  so  plausible  an  occasion  for 
insinuating,  that  these  two  very  different  sorts  of  men  have 
been  all  along  of  the  same  stamp,  and  actuated  by  the  same 
views  from  the  beginning,  to  the  no  small  reproach  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

But  if  the  true  genius  and  tendency  of  that  religion,  ex- 
hibited fairly  only  in  the  New  Testament,  be  duly  attended 
to,  it  will  be  found  that  the  Christian  cause  and  that  of  the 
clergy  form  two  very  different,  yea,  two  very  opposite  inte- 
rests, which,  from  the  commencement  of  the  opposition,  have 
been  all  along  very  hostile  towards  each  other. 

This  opposition  hath  been  more  especially  manifest  since 
the  Scripture  began  to  be  published  in  the  several  languages 
of  Europe.  As  that  book  hath  proved  the  great  instrument 
in  the  hand  of  Providence  for  breaking  their  kingdom,  fill- 
ing it  with  darkness,  and  obliging  them,  however  reluctant, 
gradually  to  lower  their  pretensions ;  so  they  have  looked 
with  a  most  invidious  eye  on  the  increase  of  knowledge 
arising  from  that  book,  especially  while  sapping  the  founda- 
tions of  their  kingdom,  it  hath  served  to  disclose,  in  its  primi- 
tive lustre,  the  ancient  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  so 
much  insisted  on  by  the  author  of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  sensibly  touches  them  to  find  their  yoke  cast  off  by 
many,  who,  allowing  Christianity  to  be  such  as  they  exhibit 
it,  have  found  a  plausible  pretext  for  avowing  their  aversion 
to  that  religion  altogether.  Yet,  in  this  regard,  they  receive 
some  consolation,  by  refiectinir,  that  their  credit  sinks  along 
with  that  of  Christianity  itself. 


518  PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

But  what  must  grieve  them  still  more  sensibly  is,  to  find 
themselves  forsaken  and  opposed  by  others,  who  maintain, 
and  what  is  worse,  by  what  has  hitherto  appeared,  have 
unanswerably  proved,  from  the  very  book  whence  they  (the 
clergy)  have  so  long  derived  their  importance,  that  Christ's 
kingdom  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  theirs,  and  that  the 
very  author  of  the  Christian  religion  hath  devoted  to  destruc- 
tion their  kingdom,  which  he  is  now  evidently  fast  con- 
suming by  his  word  and  providence. 

Freethinkers  provoke  their  followers  to  throw  off  the 
clergy's  yoke  by  the  fear  of  a  temporary  laugh  ;  but  Christ 
moves  his  followers  to  turn  away  from  them  by  a  much 
more  weighty  consideration,  even  the  fear  of  everlasting 
shame  and  contempt. 

Those  who  understand  the  difference  between  Christ's 
kingdom  and  that  of  the  clergy,  must  see,  that  it  is  the  inte- 
rest of  the  latter  to  deceive.  The  truth  on  which  Christ's 
kingdom  is  built,  could  never  be  the  foundation  of  theirs; 
yet  that  both  have  one  foundation  must  be  pretended.  The 
pretence  cannot  be  kept  up  without  some  form  or  likeness 
of  what  is  pretended  to.  As,  therefore,  it  was  necessary  to 
the  rise  of  the  clergy's  kingdom,  that  the  Divine  truth  should 
be  changed  into  a  lie,  so  it  concerns  all  who  would  study  the 
support  of  that  kingdom,  to  prevent  as  much  as  possible  the 
imposition  from  being  perceived.  It  is  allowed  that  many, 
while  imposing  on  others,  are  at  the  same  time  imposed  on 
themselves.  The  Scripture,  pointing  at  the  means  by  which 
Christianity  would  be  separated  from  the  cross,  and  the 
clergy's  kingdom  erected,  acquaints  us,  that  this  would  take 
place  by  a  gradual  progress  of  men  iraxing  worse  and  worse, 
and  a  circulation  of  deceiving  and  being  deceived.  It  be- 
longs, however,  to  every  friend  of  the  truth  to  detect  the  im- 
position, and  expose  the  deceit  wherever  he  can  find  it,  let 
the  heaviest  part  of  the  guilt  fall  where  it  may. 

Now,  that  the  clergy's  kingdom  is  falling,  it  highly  con- 
cerns all  who  have  any  taste  for  that  kingdom  which  cannot 
be  moved,  that  a  fair  and  open  appeal  to  the  Scriptures 
should  be  urged  and  carried  on  with  all  freedom.  As  the 
writer  hath  got  the  satisfaction  of  finding  that  these  letters 
have  been  in  some  measure  subservient  to  this  end,  he  con- 
cludes this  preface  with  his  hearty  wish,  that  far  and  wide 
may  the  controversy  spread,  whether  by  means  of  his  or  any 
other  pen,  and  let  every  man  judge  for  himself 


APPENDIX 

TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION. 


It  now  remains  to  give  the  reader  some  view  of  the  pro- 
gress of  the  controversy  since  the  publication  of  the  second 
edition. 

In  consequence  of  these  letters,  two  pamphlets  have  ap- 
peared : 

One  of  them  entitled,  "  An  Epistolary  Correspondence 
between  S.  P.  and  R.  S.  Relating:  to  the  Letters  on  Theron  and 
Aspasio."     Printed  at  London,  1759. 

The  other,  "The  Law  of  Nature  Defended  by  Scripture, 
against  a  learned  Class  of  Moderns,  who  think  it  needful,  in 
order  to  support  the  credit  of  Revealed  Religion  against  Deists, 
to  deny  the  Existence  of  that  Law."  Printed  at  Edinburp-h, 
1760. 

In  the  first  of  these,  Palsemon's  account  of  flnth,  with  its  in- 
fluence on  the  heart  and  life,  is  illustrated  and  enforced.  By 
the  other,  it  is  hoped,  the  reader  will  see  how  vain  the  pre- 
tence of  serving  the  cause  of  revealed  religion  by  denying  the 
law  of  nature. 

In  opposition  to  the  doctrine  maintained  in  the  letters,  Mr. 
Cudwoith,  dissenting  minister  in  London,  published  two  pieces. 
The  first  a  pocket  volume  of  22  I  pages,  besides  the  preface, 
called, 

"  A  Defence  of  Theron  and  Aspasio  against  the  Objections 
contained  in  a  late  Treatise,  entitled,  Letters  on  Theron  and 
Aspasio."     Printed  in  London,  17G0. 

The  other  a  shilling  pamphlet,  called,  "The  Polyglot,  or 
Hope  of  Eternal  Life,  According  to  the  various  Sentiments  of 
the  Present  Day,  &c."     Printed  in  London,  1761. 

This  author  maintains  such  an  universal  grant  of  Christ  as 
warrants  every  hearer  to  appropriate ;  and  it  must  be  owned, 
he  does  it  in  some  respects,  with  more  consistency  than  many 
others;  for  he  maintains,  that  Christ  gave  himself  a  ransom 
even  for  all  those  of  mankind,  who  shall  never  be  saved  by 
him.     See  Polyglot,  p.  35,  &c. 

Those  who  follow  Boston  and  Erskine,  will  not  go  so  far 
38 


446  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

as  to  say,  ihat  Christ  died  for  any  but  his  people  whom  he 
came  to  save,  and  will  assuredly  bring  to  everlasting  happi- 
ness. They  content  themselves  with  saying,  what  is  indeed 
equally  foreign  to,  and  subversive  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel, 
to  wit,  that  Christ,  by  his  taking  on  the  human  nature,  stands 
in  an  equal  or  undistinguished  relation  of  a  kinsman  redeemer 
to  mankind  sinners  as  such;  so  lead  us  conclude,  that  Christ 
took  part  in  flesh  and  blood  no  less  with  the  seed  of  the  ser- 
pent than  with  the  children  God  gave  him,  even  the  many 
sons  whom  he  brings  to  glory.  Whereas,  the  Scripture,  far 
from  countenancing  their  way  of  speaking,  as  if  Christ  took 
hold  of  the  whole  human  race,  in  contradistinction  from  fallen 
angels,  speaks  expressly  thus,  "  Verily  he  taketh  not  hold  of 
angels,  but  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  he  taketh  hold."  It  is 
also  evident  from  the  Scripture,  that  Christ  died  for  the  sanc- 
tification  of  all  with  whom  he  took  part  in  flesh  and  blood. 
And  as  he  who  sajictifies,  and  they  who  are  sanctified  by  his 
death  are  all  of  one  Father,  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them 
brethren,  saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  brethren  ; 
and  again,  behold  I,  and  the  children  whom  God  hath  given 
me.  Forasmuch  then  (says  the  Apostle,  Heb.  ii,)  as  the  chil- 
dren were  partakers  in  fiesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  like- 
wise took  part  of  the  same,  that  through  dtath  he  might  destroy 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil. 

From  all  which  it  is  plain,  that  Christ's  brethren,  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  or  the  many  sons  he  brings  to  glory,  are  no 
other  than  the  children  God  gave  him,  even  the  children  with 
whom  he  took  part  in  flesh  and  blood  to  die  for  them.  It  is 
likewise  evident  from  Rom.  viii,  29,  30,  that  all  the  many- 
brethren,  among  whom  Christ  is  the  first-born,  shall  be  justi- 
fied and  glorified. 

Now,  while  the  followers  of  Boston  and  Erskine  profanely 
maintain,  that  Christ  took  part  in  flesh  and  blood  with  many 
who  shall  reap  no  benefit  in  the  world  to  come  by  that  con- 
nection. Mr.  Cudworth  and  his  associates  only  go  a  step  far- 
ther in  the  same  profaneness  of  mind,  while  they  say  that 
Christ  died  for  many  who  shall  never  be  justified  by  his  blood, 
nor  saved  from  wrath  through  him.  The  former  class  like- 
wise maintain,  that  Christ  is  by  his  office  a  Saviour  to  many 
besides  the  elect ;  and  would  persuade  us,  that  he  is  an  official 
Saviour  to  many  who  shall  be  efiectually  damned.  And  far- 
ther, to  persuade  their  countrymen  that  they  have  all  some 
common  interest  in  Christ,  they  remind  them  of  their  relation 
to  God  by  the  Scotch  covenant,  and  would  assure  them,  that 
hereby  their  land   is  married  to  God,  not  forgetting  to  add, 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  447 

that  the  people  have  likewise  been  dedicated  to  God  in  bap- 
tism. The  latter  class  have  a  shorter  way  of  persuading 
every  one  to  say,  Christ  died  for  me,  because  they  maintain 
that  Christ  died  for  every  one  of  mankind.  The  former  main- 
tain that  Christ  became  related,  by  his  birth,  to  many  who 
shall  reap  no  eternal  benefit  by  that  connection ;  the  latter, 
with  like  reason,  sav  the  same  of  his  death;  and  both  classes 
agree  in  maintaining,  that  God  hath  made  a  deed  of  gift  or 
grant  of  Christ  and  eternal  life  to  every  hearer  of  the  gospel, 
yet  so  as  that  multitudes  of  those  to  whom  God  is  said  to  have 
given  eternal  life,  may  perish  eternally,  through  their  inca- 
pacity or  aversion  to  receive,  or,  in  other  words,  to  obey  the 
command  to  believe;  even  as  multitudes  come  short  of  the 
life  offered  in  the  law,  through  their  incapacity  or  aversion  to 
obey  its  precepts.  Thus  we  see  how  thin  are  the  partitions 
which  divide  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  among  themselves,  and 
what  pitiful  perversions  of  Scripture  they  have  recourse  to, 
while  they  go  about  to  overthrow  the  doctiine  of  the  true  grace 
of  God. 

The  inseparable  eternal  connection  which  God  himself,  of 
his  sovereign  grace  and  good  pleasure,  hath  made  between 
Christ  and  those  for  whom  he  was  born  and  died,  is  set  at 
nought,  as  a  thing  that  may  be  frustrated  as  to  many,  through 
some  defect  in  their  ability  or  will;  and  all  this,  that  the 
stress  of  our  salvation  may  be  laid  on  a  connection  we  are 
called  to  make  between  Christ  and  us,  and  then  the  province 
of  what  is  falsely  called  grace  is  to  enable  us  to  make  this 
connection.  This  assisting  grace,  according  to  many,  is 
commonly  bestowed  on  those  who  ask  it,  or  are  some  way 
desirous  of  it ;  while  yet,  to  avoid  too  flatly  clashing  with 
the  Scriptures,  exceptions  are  allowed.  And  here  take  place 
all  the  hocus-pocus  tricks  about  grace  alternately  prompting 
or  seconding  our  efforts  to  make  this  connection,  with  suita- 
ble directions  for  discerning,  in  some  corner  of  our  averse 
will,  some  hopeful  disposition  arising  to  meet  that  grace,  or 
produced  by  it. 

Some  notice  may  now  be  taken  of  a  small  piece  against 
the  letters,  introduced  by  a  sermon,  the  title  running  thus  : 

"  The  True  Comer  ;  being  the  substance  of  some  Sermons 
preached  in  July  and  August  last,  upon  John  vi,  45. — To 
which  is  annexed,  A  Detection  of  the  Spurious  Faith  in  the 
Letters  on  Theron  and  Aspasio,  &c.  By  Colin  Mackie, 
Minister  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Associate  Congregation  at 
Montrose."      Printed  in  Dundee,  1761. 

This  author  pleads  for  the  appropriation,  rebukes  Palae- 


448  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

men,  as  maintaining  only  the  faith  of  devils,  and  points  out 
the  danger  Paljemon's  friends  and  other  dissenters  are  exposed 
to  for  want  of  Presbyterial  government.  The  reason  of  this 
publication  is  given  in  a  short  prefatory  address  to  the  reader, 
which  begins  thus:  "  The  errors  contained  in  the  Letteis  on 
Theron  and  Aspasio,  &-c.,  being  so  dangerous,  specious,  and 
deceiving,  I  was  therefore  in  hopes  some  proper  hand  in 
Scotland  would  have  delected  the  same  ;  but  as  there  was  no 
appearance  of  this,  and  the  delusion  taking  too  well  with  many 
in  different  places,  and  even  throwing  some  professors  into  a 
jumble  in  the  corner,  I  judged  it  proper,  for  the  vindication  of 
truth,  to  essay  a  detection  of  the  letters-author's  spurious  faith, 
with  which  he  is  deceiving  the  public,"  &c.  At  the  conclu- 
sion, after  pointing  out  the  advantages  of  Presbyterial  gov- 
ernment faithfully  exercised,  says,  "x\nd  how  happy  would 
the  dissenters  in  the  neighbouring  land  be  if  such  church 
order  were  among  them  ?  errors  then  of  this  kind  would  not 
find  such  favourable  reception  among  them,  as  it  seems  this 
letters-author's  faith  has  obtained  ;  at  least  they  would  not  be 
put  into  such  confusion  thereby,  as  it  seems  they  presently 
are." 

Next  comes  a  pamphlet  of  fifty-four  pages,  in  the  title-page 
of  which  the  letter-writer  is  said  to  be  refuted  by  an  old  wo- 
man. The  follov\-ing  part  of  the  title  runs  thus :  or,  Thoughts 
on  his  Letters  to  the  author  of  Theron  and  Aspasio  ;  in  a 
Letter  from  a  Friend  in  the  Country  to  a  Friend  in  Toicii. 
Printed  in  London,  1761.  Scarce  inferior  to  any  of  the  an- 
swers I  have  got  from  the  men,  j'oung  or  old. 

This  serious  old  woman  contents  herself  with  evincing,  as 
she  can,  throughout  her  pamphlet,  a  tenfold  charge  against 
Palasmon,  which  I  shall  lay  before  the  reader,  by  copying 
her  first  page.     "  Dear  Sir,  I  dislike  too  many  things  in  Mr. 

S n's  letters  to  notice,  without  being  to  you  extremely 

tedious;  and  shall,  therefore,  give  )'ou  my  thoughts  only  of 
some  as  briefly  as  I  can;  with  respect  to,  1.  His  omission  of 
the  great  work  of  regeneration,  as  previous  to  any  act  of 
faith  in  us  for  salvation.  2.  Deficiency  in  definition  of  justi- 
fying faith.  3.  Deriding  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  faith,  in 
its  direct  and  reflex  acts.  4,  Reproaching  the  Holy  Spirit's 
Avitness  in  the  word  of  promise.  5.  Denying  the  influence  of 
the  gospel-grace  on  the  heart  unto  gospel-holiness.  6.  Turn- 
ing the  acts  of  pure  faith  in  the  soul's  flight  unto  Christ  for 
life,  into  acts  of  love,  in  obedience  to  his  command.  7. 
Placing  believers  when  they  sin,  under  the  curse  of  God,  and 
in  danger  of  the  wrath  that  is  to  come.     8.  Making  our  love 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  449 

to  Christ  in  continued  obedience  of  life,  the  condition  of  our 
salvation.  9.  False  accusation  of  all  those  that  assert  the 
necessity  of  direct  acts  of  faith  in  order  to  justification,  as 
making  faith  our  justifying  righteousness.  And,  10.  Dis- 
missing all  the  descriptions  of  faith,  which  he  is  pleased  to 
call  modern,  to  the  regions  of  darkness,  from  whence  (he  im- 
piously says)  they  come."  I  shall  only  add,  that  it  concerns 
the  reader,  as  much  as  the  disputants,  to  judge  for  himself, 
for  if  his  faith  is  not  warranted  by  the  apostles,  it  is  matter  of 
no  great  moment  a\  hether  he  hearken  to  Palaemon,  or  to  an 
old  woman,  either  of  whose  authority,  after  all,  is  just  as 
good  as  that  of  a  general  council  in  the  concerns  of  the  next 
world. 

'J'oward  the  end  of  last  year  was  published  in  Edinburgh^ 
a  treatise  of  181  pages,  called,  "An  Inquiry  into  the  Spirit 
and  Tendency  of  Letters  on  Theron  and  Aspasio,  with  a 
View  of  the  Law  of  Nature."  By  the  last  words  is  meant  the 
above-mentioned  pamphlet,  called,  "The  Law  of  Nature  de- 
fended by  Scripture,"  &c.  The  Inquiry  is  said,  in  the  editor's 
preface,  to  be  "wrote  by  an  eminent  minister  of  the  church 
of  Scotland,"  and  "published  with  an  intention  to  obviate  the 
many  gross  mistakes  of  the  letter-writer,  and  to  prevent  the 
influence  that  his  subtile  abuse  of  the  sacred  writings  may 
have  on  some  of  those  into  whose  hands  his  books  may  have 
fallen." 

The  shortest  account  I  can  give  my  readers  of  this  per- 
formance is,  that  it  exhibits  an  efibrt  to  overthrow  the  law 
of  nature,  and  the  doctrine  of  supernatural  grace  preventing 
man's  will,  in  imputing  righteousness  without  works. 

As  to  our  author's  opposition  to  the  law  of  nature,  even 
PalaBmon's  adversaries,  who  are  very  willing  to  understand 
what  makes  against  him,  confess  that  their  understandings 
fail  them  here.  If  the  Hutchinsonians  have  any  mm  of 
sensibility  remaining  among  them,  who  are  capable  of  feel- 
ing regret  at  seeing  their  main  fortress  lying  in  ruins  in  this 
Inquiry,  they  must  find  themselves  concerned  to  provide 
somethinfj  liker  an  answer  to  the  above-mentioned  defence  of 
the  law  of  nature.  It  would  be  hard  to  suppose  that  aU  of 
this  class  are  so  blinded  with  rage  against  the  defenders,  as 
to  suffer  such  loose  talk  to  p^ss  for  the  best  answer  they  can 
give.  Some,  perhaps,  however  much  diverted  at  seeing  the 
obstinate  defenders  pelted  with  such  a  profusion  of  rhetorical 
nosegays  of  the  coarser  sort,  will  reflect,  that  such  diversion 
would  have  bern  somewhat  more  seasonable,  after  seeing 
their  strength  taken  down  with  more  substantial  weapons. 
38* 


450  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

Our  author's  way  of  opposing-  supernatural  grace  is  more 
intelligible,  better  suited  to  the  capacities  of  his  readers,  and 
has  accordingly  proved  inuch  more  generally  acceptable. 
The  force  of  what  he  says  is  far  from  being  new  indeed, 
having  been  much  hackneyed  for  many  ages,  till  it  is  now 
grown  quite  threadbare.  But,  then,  its  want  of  the  advantage 
often  attending  novelty,  may  seem  to  be  in  a  good  measure 
compensated  by  its  antiquity ;  for  truth  itself  is  justly  vene- 
rable on  that  account.  His  chief  topic  of  reproach,  however 
much  he  seems  to  plume  himself  upon  it,  as  if  he  had  newly 
opened  a  rich  vein  of  fresh  wit,  is  evidently  coeval  with  the 
first  preaching  of  the  gospel.  When  Paul  displayed  his 
doctrine  of  supernatural  grace,  his  enemies  charged  him  as 
saying,  het  us  do  evil  that  good  may  come ;  lei  us  continue 
in  sin  that  grace  may  abound :  in  a  word,  they  charged  him 
as  making  void  our  duty  to  God  by  his  doctrine  of  faith. 
Celsus,  as  we  find  in  Origen's  third  book  against  him,  brought 
the  like  charge  against  the  Christians  of  the  second  century. 
"But  let  us  hear  now  whom  these  call:  whoever,  they  say, 
is  a  sinner,  whoever  is  without  understanding,  whoever  is 
childish,  and  to  say  plainly,  whoever  is  wretched,  the  kingdom 

of  God  will  receive  him. They  say,  that  God  is  sent  to 

sinners  ;  but  why  was  he  not  sent  to  them  that  are  without 
sin?  What  evil  is  there  in  not  having  sinned  ?  They  dictate 
that  God  will  receive  an  unjust  man,  if  he  humble  himself 
under  his  wretchedness ;  but  the  just,  if  he  look  up  to  him 
with  virtue  from  the  beginning,  him  he  will  not  receive. — 
They  commonly  sa}-,  that  God  can  do  all  things  ;  but  he  will 
not  do  anything  unjust.  So,  then,  like  unto  them  that  are 
subject  to  compassion  ;  God,  being  subject  to  commiseration 
of  them  that  plead  pity,  relieves  the  bad,  and  the  good,  doing 

no  such  thing,  he  rejects ! 1  indeed  blame  these,  and  such 

like,  that  1  may  not  enumerate  all ;  and  I  say  they  trespass 
wickedly,  being  contumelious  to  God,  that  they  may  allure 
evil  men  with  vain  hopes,  and  persuade  to  despise  the  better 
things,  as  if,  should  they  abstain  from  them,  it  would  be  better 
for  them."  How  common  it  has  been  in  later  ages,  parti- 
cularly the  present,  to  load  the  doctrine  of  supernatural  grace 
with  like  imputations,  needs  not  be  insisted  on. 

Our  inquirers  account  of  the  natural  consequence  of  Palce- 
mon's  doctrine  runs  thus,  "  The  only  safe  way  and  the  only 
way  to  be  easy  on  this  plan,  is  to  run  as  fast  and  as  far  from 
God  as  we  can,  and  boldly  presume,  that  The  Lord  have 
mercy  07i  a  miserable  sinner,  will  in  the  end  do  the  business 
at  once.     Palaemon  dare  not  avow  this  natural  consequence 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  451 

of  his  new  Divinity,  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  has  deluded 
many  into  everlasting  destruction."  This  is  only  a  sample 
of  the  reproach  copiously  poured  forth,  in  a  number  of  pages, 
by  the  inquirer  against  supernatural  grace. 

The  more  we  observe  the  aspect  of  the  clergy  towards 
that  grace,  the  less  cause  of  wonder  shall  we  find  at  seeing 
eminent  men  among  them  highly  provoked  at  the  doctrine  of 
it :  for  so  far  as  that  doctrine  is  clearly  undei-stood,  down 
comes  their  eminence  by  the  lump.  On  their  principles  (if 
those  of  the  inquirer  be  taken  for  a  sample  till  a  better  be 
produced)  they  do  indeed  owe  a  very  deadly  grudge  to  that 
doctrine,  as  nothing  rubs  harder  on  their  high  pretensions, 
nothing  serves  more  effectually  to  evince  their  hypocrisy. 

Meantime  the  acceptance  Avhich  the  inquirer's  reproach 
has  found  with  the  religious,  afibrds  Pala3mon  an  additional 
proof  of  what  he  has  frequently  had  occasion  to  observe,  that 
people  may  have  the  character  of  devout  Christians,  and  yet 
be  filled  with  great  aversion  to  the  grace  of  the  gospel.  And 
this  aversion  holds  pace  with  their  aversion  to  the  Christian 
labour  of  love,  which  is  likewise  treated  with  great  contempt 
in  the  Inquiry. — Hence  arises  a  presumption  that  Palsemon's 
notion  of  grace,  both  in  respect  of  its  nature  and  effect,  is  the 
same  with  Paul's,  seeing  it  provokes  the  same  sort  of  reproach 
as  Paul's  did  from  the  beginning. 

As  an  extract  of  a  letter,  of  December  16,  1761,  sent  me 
by  one  of  the  readers  of  the  Inquiry,  may  be  of  some  service 
to  the  rest,  in  comparing  their  thoughts  on  the  matter  in  hand, 
I  shall  here  offer  it  to  their  perusal.  "  This  nameless  antag- 
onist cannot  be  the  author  of  the  famous  Sober  hiqnirij,  as 
has  been  given  out,  nor  any  other  popular  minister  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland.  He  rather  sorts  himself  as  an  answerer 
with  Wesley;  and  indeed  he  appears  abundantly  in  his  spirit 
and  temper,  though  he  would  show  more  of  the  philosopher, 
and  less  of  the  theologue  than  he.  It  is  true,  he  would  rea- 
son you  out  of  the  law  of  nature,  in  order  to  maintain  his 
philosophical  divinity;  but  he  has  acquired  much  moral 
philosophy,  from  which  he  gives  you  manifold  sage  moral 
instructions  and  reprehensions. 

"  If  you  had  reason  to  find  fault  with  Aspasio  for  making 
too  light,  first  of  the  comfort  that  is  in  the  belief  of  the  truth, 
and  next  of  the  comfort  of  the  Spirit  witnessing  with  our 
spirits,  to  maintain  his  groundless  appropriation  ;  you  have 
much  more  reason  to  say  the  hard  rchul-c  //z^t' to  this  author, 
who,  without  Aspasio's  serious  concern,  spit(Tully  rt-proaches 
both.     His   last  resoit  for  defence  of  the  appropriation,  or 


452  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION 

believing  what  is  not  true  till  it  be  believed,  is  an  old  argu- 
ment  used  by  the  marrow-men,  (p.  28,)  which  was  long  ago 
fully  answered  in  a  treatise  lately  printed,  vol.  3,  p.  402-400, 
of  Glas's  works. 

"  The  great  outcry  against  what  you  say  from  Ezekiel, 
chap,  xviii  and  xxxiii,  is  full  as  strong  against  Lev.  xviii,  5 ; 
Rom.  X.  5;  Luke  x,  25-28 ;  Matt,  xix,  16-19;  with  Gal. 
iii,  21.  He  saw  this  but  waved  it ;  and  all  that  he  alleges 
against  the  children  bearing  the  iniquities  of  their  fathers,  he 
saw  confuted  in  that  seventh  number  of  notes,  (Glas's  works, 
p.  245,)  which  is  quoted  by  him ;  for  whom,  therefore,  it 
will  be  to  no  purpose  to  write  anything. 

"  He  holds  no  law  common  to  mankind  sinners  but  the 
law  of  faith;  no  natural  law  but  supernatural  revelation. 
And  his  law  of  faith  may  possibly  be  that  lately  discovered 
in  revelation,  viz.  a  law  introducing  Christ  to  the  inherit- 
ance, not  by  his  fulfilling  the  law,  or  redeeming  from  its 
curse,  but,  in  opposition  to  that,  by  a  promise  to  him,  and  by 
a  faith  of  his  that  stands  in  the  same  connection  with  that 
promise,  as  works  do  stand  in  with  the  law.  This  law  of 
faith  has  been  sufficiently  exposed  in  a  letter  now  printed, 
vol.  4,  p.  371-379  of  Glas's  works. 

"  He  would  still  maintain  his  most  ridiculous  gloss  on 
Rom.  i,  without  removing  your  just  objections;  and  so  would 
he  maintain  the  two  most  opposite  and  ridiculous  glosses  on 
Rom.  ii,  but  he  supports  these  glosses,  and,  as  a  philosopher, 
reasons  you  out  of  your  law  of  nature  by  this  demonstration. 
It  is  impossible  even  for  you  to  deny  the  fact,  (which  you 
forgot,)  that  you  was  an  infant,  and  that  then  you  had  not,  by 
reason  of  use,  3'our  senses  exercised  to  discern  good  and  evil; 
therefore,  now  when  you  discern  them,  it  is  most  manifest 
you  do  it  not  by  nature.  Even  so  you  must  remember,  that 
we  were  all  iniflints,  and  were  not  then  capable  of  generating 
our  species  ;  and  thus  must  you  know  for  certain,  that  w' hen 
we  grow  to  do  that,  we  do  it  not  by  nature. 

"  But  if  he  has  got  the  better  of  you  in  any  one  point,  it 
must  be  in  what  he  calls  judging  and  speaking  evil,  which 
he  doth  with  great  spirit  and  alacrity  with  respect  to  you, 
your  friends  and  adherents." 

Follows  an  extract  of  a  letter  wrote  by  another  reader. 
"  The  inquirer  hath  observed  a  contention,  in  which  a 
greater  personage  than  either  of  these  disputers  durst  not 
bring  a  railing  accusation  ;  I  wish  his  own  remark  had  pro^ 
duced  an  imitation  of  this  moderation  in  himself  If  misre- 
preseatation  and  ill  names  may  he  called  railing  accusations, 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  453 

I  cannot  help  thinking  you  may  see  some  of  it  in  p.  28. 
"  Palacmon  insists — there  is  no  such  thing  as — commands  to 
unhelievers — to  beh'eve,"  &c.  Here,  I  suppose,  you  will 
not  say  the  charge  is  literally  true ;  nor  that  representation 
of  his  sentiments  from  p.  3G-40,  that  the  gray-headed  sinner, 
especially  if  he  be  very  obdurate,  &c. — stands  infinitely  fairer 
for  salvation  than,  &c.  ;  or  that  (p.  45)  he  (Palajmon)  is 
ready  to  curse  to  the  pit  of  hell — them  who  say  that  any 
Divine  assistance  is  necessary  to  make  the  word  efTectual ; 
unless  by  Divine  assistance  he  means,  that  the  new  creation 
is  accomplished  by  Divine  power  coming  in  to  aid  and  assist 
the  efforts  of  nature,  which  representation  1  grant  Palaomon 
would  think  as  ridiculous  as  to  say,  that  God  assisted  the 
chaos  to  produce  a  world.  Or,  when  he  insinuates  that 
Palaemon  says,  that  Christ  hath  done  all,  and  left  us  nothing 
to  do,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  obedience  of  faith. 

"  These,  and  some  other  things,  appear  to  me  no  better 
than  railing  accusations,  which  are  altogether  unworthy  the 
inquirer.  We  all  know  it  hath  been  found  necessary  for 
disputers  of  the  lower  class,  when  they  could  not  confute 
w^hat  their  opponents  had  really  said,  to  make  them  say  what 
they  could  confute;  but  the  inquirer  could  need  no  such  low 
artifice.  There  is  certainly  difference  enough  between  these 
two  authors,  if  they  would  condescend  to  state  what  they 
affirm  and  what  they  deny  plainly,  that  the  opposition  might 
be  perceived  by  men  not  very  skilful  in  the  use  of  words. 
As  the  inquirer  has  entered  the  lists  in  defence  of  such 
addresses  as  I  heartily  detest,  as  they  seem  to  me  subversive 
of  the  gospel  proclamation  ;  and  as  he  seems  defending  an 
account  of  faith,  which,  as  I  understand  him,  I  have  some 
objection  to ;  I  shall  give  my  thoughts  on  these  two  points 
without  being  solicitous  about  the  choice  of  words. — As 
I  am  conscious  of  deficiency  in  polemical  divinity,  I  do 
not  pretend  to  any  formal  or  ordeiiy  remarks  on  the  inquirer, 
only  to  say  simply  what  I  think  I  ought  to  believe  and  do, 
leaving  to  you  the  reconciling  or  contrasting  it  with  whom 
you  please. 

"  If  Palcemon  denies  all  exhortations  to  unbelievers  except 
Be  perfect,  (which  you  see  I  do  not  believe,)  he  may  as  well 
deny  that  the  gospel  is  to  be  preached  to  every  creature,  or 
that  now  God  comviandelh  all  men  tceryw here  to  repent ;  for 
certainly  Be  perfect  is  not  the  gospel. 

"  1  have  no  scruple  to  say,  that  all  who  labour  in  public 
doctrine  are  bound  to  speak  to  the  people  all  the  words  of  this 
life,  and  to  say  to  all  whom  the  word  of  this  salvation  is  sent, 


454  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

that  it  is  God's  command  that  they  repent,  and  believe  the 
gospel.  I  take  it,  all  scriptural  addresses  to  the  world  are 
only  saying-  this  in  different  ways.  They  cannot  be  vindi- 
cated if  they  do  not,  as  they  are  ahle,  point  out  the  evidence  of 
the  things  which  began  to  be  spoken  by  onr  Lord,  and  were 
confirmed  to  us  by  them  that  heard  him  ;  at  the  same  time 
addressing  themselves  to  the  consciences  of  men  in  the  sight 
of  God,  showing  them  the  breadth  of  the  Divine  law,  the  guilti- 
ness of  human  nature,  the  wrath  of  God  revealed  against  all 
ungodliness  of  men,  and  the  justice  and  mercy  displayed  in 
salvation  ;  and  add  to  all  this,  with  the  strongest  confidence, 
He  that  believes,  shall  be  saved;  and  he  that  believes  not, 
shall  be  da??i?ied. 

"  If  these  truths  get  access  to  the  conscience  of  any,  they  are 
not  at  liberty  to  encourage  the  hope  of  such,  by  lowering  the 
Divine  claim  of  perfect  righteousness  to  commend  them  to 
God's  favour,  but  are  bound  to  show  them  where  alone  that 
rigliteousness  is  found,  in  which  they  can  be  accepted.  I  do 
not  see  anything  should  induce  them  to  consider  men  as 
believers,  while  they  are  neither  comforted  by  the- ^-evealed 
righteousness,  nor  influenced  by  gospel ;  nor  have  I  any  con- 
ception of  an  unbeliever  desiring  to  believe;  however  it  is 
natural  enough  to  desire  ease  of  mind.  Ignorance  and  enmity 
which  still  remain  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  seem  to 
make  such  a  character  impossible  to  be  found.  He  is  enmity 
against  God,  and  uiiderstandeth  not  the  thiyigs  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  neither  can  he  know  them,  &c.  It  is  absurd  to  sup- 
pose a  person  desiring  to  believe  what  he  hates  should  be  true, 
or  what  he  sees  no  evidence  of,  or  importance  in.  He  that 
doih  perceive  the  evidence  and  importance  of  the  gospel  as 
the  Lord  hath  spoken  it,  is  doubtless  a  believer ;  for  what 
else  is  believing,  but  receiving  the  evidence,  and  perceiving 
the  true  meaning  and  importance  of  a  doctrine?  You  see  I 
have  nothing  to  say  to  any  supposed  equivocal  character,  or 
person  making  advances  toward  that  righteousness  which  God 
brings  near  to  the  stout-hearted,  which  are  far  from  it;  for  I  do 
not  suppose  that  there  are  indeed  any  such  characters. 

"  I  can  easily  see  how  such  as  believe  may  be  said  to 
hunger  and  thirst  after  more  knowledge  of  the  truth,  which 
brings  a  righteousness  to  their  view  on  which  all  their  safety 
and  happiness  depends,  and  so  hunger  and  thirst  after  the 
enjoyment  of  that  righteousness :  but  I  cannot  see  how  any 
person  can  be  said  to  hunger  and  thirst  after  Christ's  righte- 
ousness, who  do  not  with  the  heart  believe,  that  by  him  all 
that  believe  are  justified,  which  is  with  the  heart  believing  to 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  455 

righteousness :  I  cannot  see  how  he  can  thus  hunger,  unless 
we  may  suppose  him  longing  for  that  which  he  hath  no  know- 
ledge of,  or  value  for !  Yet  it  will  be  owned  to  be  natural 
enough  for  men  to  desire  some  kind  of  righteousness,  real  or 
imaginary,  seeing  the  present  peace  of  a  thinking  mind  greatly 
depends  on  having  some  reason  of  hope  at  hand  to  fortify  them 
against  the  fears  of  wrath  to  come. 

"  Taking  this  to  be  the  view  the  gospel  considers  all  men 
in,  (as  believers  or  unbelievers,)  1  see  no  danger  in  supposing 
that  all  its  exhortations  may  be  addressed  to  believers,  who  are 
to  walk  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  they  received  him.  Nor 
do  I  see  any  danger  in  all  the  exhortations  being  addressed 
to  unbelievers,  supposing  the  command  to  believe  on  the  Son 
of  God  be  understood  as  inseparably  connected  with,  and 
essential  to  every  act  of  obedience  to  such  exhortations.  Thus 
we  may  say  to  men  promiscuously,  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  love,  obey,  &c.  But  I  connot  think  any 
encouragements  to  believe  for  justification  should  be  taken 
from  such  dispositions  of  mind,  as  we  may  observe  about  the 
serious  and  inquiring;  for  such  encouragements  would  be  so 
many  impeachments  of  the  freedom  and  suitableness  of  that 
grace  which  reigns  through  righteousness  by  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Any  such  encouragement  to  believe  would  be  turning 
the  attention  from  the  abundant  grace  and  gift  of  righteous- 
ness, to  the  token  for  good  which  is  observed  to  embolden 
our  confidence.  He  that  thinks  he  may  believe,  because  he 
hath  these  good  symptoms,  must  needs  tliink,  if  he  could  see 
no  good  about  himself,  the  gospel  would  not  be  suited  to  give 
him  joy  and  peace  in  believing  it.  Now,  whatever  such  a 
mnn  believes,  1  should  not  think  that  /le  believes  on  him  that 
justifies  the  ungodly.  You  cannot  but  know  the  art  of 
religion  greatly  consists  in  soothing  the  minds  of  men,  and 
promoting  their  peace  without  the  painful  conviction,  that  all 
their  labour  after  distinctions  and  precedency  are  aggrava- 
tions of  their  guilt  and  rebellion  ;  for  the  last  thing  a  man 
parts  with  is  a  good  conceit  of  himself  And  I  must  still 
say,  I  think  this  has  been  greatly  promoted  by  the  kind  of 
address  for  which  the  inquirer  is  a  most  ingenious  and  reso- 
lute champion. 

"  I  suppose  every  man  hath  good  authority  to  urge  on  as 
many  as  will  hear  him,  the  full  import  of  such  words  as 
those,  Repent,  and  believe  the  gospel.  And  on  such  as  pro- 
fess the  faith,  (as  they  must  be  careful  to  maintain  good 
works,)  h^  also  must  urge,  that  they  show  out  of  a  good 
conversation  their  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom  ;  for  they 


456  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION. 

cannot  show  their  faith  but  by  their  works.  But  I  see  not 
what  obedience  can  be  paid  to  the  special  precepts  of  the 
gospel  by  such  as  are  not  under  the  law  to  Christ.  Nor  do 
I  conceive  that  exhortations  can  receive  any  additional 
weight  from  the  importance  and  solemnity  of  what  they  call 
ministerial  authority,  without  detracting  as  much  from  the 
reverence  due  to  God  alone. 

"  If  you  do  but  understand  my  way  of  expression  on  this 
head  of  exhortation,  it  is  all  I  have  aimed  at ;  and  I  proceed 
to  a  remark  or  two  on  the  grant  or  deed  of  conveyance,  by 
which  the  inquirer  seems  to  think  Christ  and  all  his  benefits 
are  made  over  to  all  mankind. 

"  I  readily  admit,  that  the  gift  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  gift 
of  righteousness,  and  the  gift  of  God,  which  is  eternal  life, 
are  inseparably  connected,  so  that  he  tvko  hath  the  Son  hath 
life  ;  but  what  1  demur  upon  is,  How  doth  it  appear  that  this 
is  made  over  to  all  mankind?  The  inquirer  freely  owns,  it  is 
no  benefit  to  any  but  them  that  believe ;  and  he  also  admits, 
that  perfect  sovereignty  is  exercised  in  the  actual  application 
and  reception  of  this  gift.  If  this  is  so,  I  cannot  see  the  ne- 
cessity of  introducing  the  difficult  business  of  proving,  that 
is  given  which  is  never  received,  or  that  God  hath,  by  a  deed 
of  conveyance,  given  eternal  life  to  them  that  suffer  eternal 
death.  If  this  be  not  to  suspend  our  actual  pa  rtici  pation  upon 
some  condition  to  be  performed  by  us,  I  confess  I  cannot  see 
why  he  should  make  the  grant  more  extensive  than  the  actual 
conveyance.  If  this  grant  comes  limited  by  the  absolute 
sovereignty  of  God,  as  he  says,  p.  31,  how,  then,  is  it  more  than 
an  universal  proclamation,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  on,  the 
Son  of  God  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  ?  Does 
not  this  way  of  expressing  it  look  like  saying,  A  grant  made 
to  all  mmkind  is  limited  to  a  certain  number  or  small  rem- 
nant of  them? 

"  I  cannot  think  of  the  Son  of  God  being  given  for  such  to 
whom  the  inheritance  of  sons  will  never  be  given,  because,  I 
suppose  these  gifts  to  be  equally  extensive;  and  as  little  can  I 
think  of  Christ  being  given  to  such  whom  he  was  never 
given  /or.  For  this  is  the  account  Christ  gives  of  it,  viz. 
that  he  laid  down  his  life  for  his  sheep  ;  and  of  others  he 
saith.  Ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep.  For 
this  end  he  tells,  he  had  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should 
give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  had  given  him; 
and  accordingly  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life, 
believed.     But  is  the  gospel  a  grant  of  eternal  life  to  such  as 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  457 

he  did  not  lay  down  his  life  for  ?  to  such  as  were  not  given 
to  Christ,  nor  ordained  to  eternal  life? 

"  It  is  plain  enough  that  the  general  declarations  of  the 
gosp^'i  of  God  to  wliosoevcr  will,  lohosoecer  believes,  &c., 
afford  stiiiicient  encouragement  for  all  the  ends  of  the  earth 
to  look  to  him  for  salvation  ;  and  as  these  declarations  are 
not  limited,  by  being  addressed  to  men  of  such  qualifications 
as  naturally  lead  them  to  glory  over  one  another,  they  leave 
no  room  for  any  desire  of  distinctions  j/i  order  to  justification, 
nor  yet  for  any  suspicion  lest  this  grace  be  not  extensive 
enough  to  reach  the  most  guilty  character.  Thus  it  is 
equally  calculated  to  oppose  both  pride  and  despair. 

"  As  here  the  Divine  faithfulness  is  security,  that  whosoever 
believes  shall  not  perish,  biot  have  everlasting  life,  I  see  no- 
thing to  hinder  their  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. 
Yet  I  do  not  see  this  rejoicing  will  exclude  a  fear  of  coming 
short  of  the  promised  rest,  of  being  a  cast-away,  or  of  draw- 
ing back  unto  perdition  ;  for  I  apprehend  this  maybe  main- 
tained in  perfect  consistence  with  the  record,  that  God  hath 
given  to  us  eternal  life  in  his  Son.  It  will  yet  admit  of  a 
jealousy,  lest  we  have  deceived  ourselves,  mistaken  the  truth, 
or  believed  in  vain,  notwithstanding  we  have  been  enlight- 
ened, anl  hive  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  &c.  For  the  Apostle 
will  warrant  me  to  say,  there  are  yet  belter  things  which 
acconipan'i  salvation.  Therefore  I  do  not  perceive  how  a 
man  is  emboldened  to  say.  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself 
for  me,  before  his  calling  and  election  is  made  sure  by  faith 
working  with  his  works,  and  being  made  perfect  by  them  ; 
for  his  faith  must  be  justified  by  its  fruits,  (as  I  apprehend,) 
before  he  can  say  with  confidence,  I  believe,  therefore  I  shal] 
not  come  into  condemnation. 

"  1  also  see,  that  as  faith  grows,  so  love  will  abound  till  it 
is  perfected;  and  that  'there  is  no  fear  in  love,  but  perfect 
love  casteth  out  fear,  because  fear  hath  torment;  he  that 
feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in  love.'  But  1  have  no  other 
conception  of  faith  growing  than  increasing  in  the  knowledge 
of  GoJ,  or  in  acquaintance  with  his  good  will  to  men,  whence 
comes  that  love  to  him,  from  which  obedience  is  inseparable. 

"  But  if  we  speak  about  that  peace  with  God  which  is 
enjoyed  as  soon  as  a  man  knovvs  the  truth,  and  is  inseparable 
from  being  justified  by  faith,  I  know  no  other  reason  of  this 
beginning  of  his  confidence  and  rejoicing  of  hope,  but  the 
general  and  free  declarations  of  the  gospel  to  sinners,  under 
no  other  character  than  as  ungodly  and  without  strength. — 
Nor  can  I  think  of  the  most  advanced  believer,  who  certainly 
39 


458  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

keeps  in  mind,  that  nothing  commends  men  to  God  but  a 
perfect  righteousness,  (if  he  keeps  not  this  in  view,  he  is  not 
the  person  we  speak  of;)  I  cannot  think  of  such  an  one  who 
keeps  in  mind,  that  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  who  can 
extract  joy  from  anything  but  that  righteousness  in  which 
God  is  well  pleased?  This  is  that  which  his  faith  works 
by  love  to,  and  is  thereby  proved  to  be  the  faith  of  God's 
elect. 

"  But  as  we  were  speaking  of  what  that  is  in  the  record  of 
God,  in  which  men  rejoice  as  soon  as  they  know  it  is  true, 
you  may  take  my  thoughts  thereon  in  a  familiar  simile.  If 
in  a  time  of  famine  a  person  who  had  store  should  cause  to 
be  proclaimed,  Whosoever  will,  let  him  come  and  take  corn 
at  my  granary  freely ;  in  this  case,  a  starving  person 
who  believed  the  proclamation,  would  need  no  particular 
invitation,  describing  him  by  anything  but  his  wants,  to  en- 
courage him  to  say,  Then  I  shall  not  starve  or  want,  seeing 
he  is  faithful  that  promised.  I  conceive  the  joy  of  this  person 
would  arise  from,  and  be  proportioned  to  the  confidence  he 
had  in  the  truth  of  the  proclamation ;  and  he  would  have 
personal  hope  and  joy,  because  it  is  a  general  invitation  of 
whosoever  will.  Yet  all  this  generosity  would  pass  for  no- 
thing to  him  who  did  not  believe  it,  or  was  in  hope  of  doing  well 
without  it,  and  too  proud  to  live  on  mere  alms.  If  any  one 
questioned  his  own  personal  welcome  to  the  gift,  seeing  it  was 
of  mere  grace,  it  is  obvious  he  would  mistake,  snd  so  not  be- 
lieve the  proclamation ;  as  he  would  who  should  put  an 
impertinent  emphasis  on  the  word  wUl,and  inquire,  Am  1  truly 
willing?  &c.,  thus  limiting  it  to  the  better  disposed  sort  of 
people. 

"  The  whosoever  will  would  be  sufficient  to  maintain  the  joy 
of  him  that  believed  it,  although  it  was  said,  this  bounteous 
person  foreknows  who  will  believe  him  and  accept  his  kind- 
ness, and  for  such  only  he  intends  it :  for  he  would  say,  Such 
a  general  invitation  leaves  me  no  occasion  to  make  out  my 
personal  election,  for  I  am  not  invited  under  any  descriptive 
name,but  that  of  a  wretch  that  is  perishing  with  hunger;  there- 
fore I  am  as  freely  invited  as  though  there  was  no  other  in  my 
case,  or  as  any  of  them  who  have  already  received  it.  I  own 
my  similitude  halts,  in  that  no  man  can  exercise  sovereignty 
in  disposing  the  mind  to  acceptance,  consistent  with  the  sup- 
posed declaration  ;  nor  is  bodily  food  actually  enjoyed  when 
the  report  of  it  is  believed,  which  is  the  case  of  the  bread  of 
God,  for  men  live  by  every  word  that  proccedelh  out  of  (he 
mouth  of  God. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  459 

"  I  admit,  that  joy  and  peace  in  believing  would  be  very- 
faint,  if  it  had  no  more  to  rest  upon,  or  rise  from,  than  saying 
and  believing  some  few  will  be  saved,  perad venture  I  may 
be  among  them.  For  I  do  not  take  this  to  be  believing  the 
whole  record  of  God  concerning  his  Son,  seeing  this  declara- 
tion would  leave  us  to  imagine  some  qualification  in  those 
iew  which  partook  of  it.  I  take  it,  the  joy  of  faith  is  greatly 
proportioned  to  the  clearness  and  extent  of  that  view  which 
the  person  has  of  the  grace  of  God  which  bringeth  salvation. 
Yet  this  doth  never  banish  such  a  fear  as  is  not  tormenting, 
but  like  the  apprehension  of  danger  which  a  manslayer  would 
have;  keeping  him  in  the  city  of  refuge  till  the  death  of  the 
high-priest,  knowing  he  could  be  safe  from  the  avenger  of 
blood  nowhere  but  there. 

"  The  inquirer's  account  of  faith  seems  to  suppose  it  to  con- 
sist in  more  than  a  belief  of  the  facts  which  God  hath  testified 
concerning  his  Son.  But  if  we  include  in  that  account  of 
faith  the  belief  of  what  God  hath  told  us  as  the  meaning  of 
those  facts,  I  cannot  see  how  faith  can  consist  in  anything 
more,  unless  it  consists  in  believing  more  than  God  hath 
spoken  :  for  if  I  can  determine  ivhai  men  ought  to  believe,  I 
will  leave  it  to  critics  to  tell  them  how  to  believe.  Introducing 
the  devils  as  believing,  to  show,  that  we  must  believe  more 
than  they,  or  in  another  manner,  is  nothing  to  the  purpose ; 
for  we  cannot  say  to  them  as  w^e  may  to  men,  To  you  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent.  If  by  assurance  of  personal  wel- 
come he  means  no  more  than  believing,  that  him  that  coraeth^ 
he  icill  in  yiowise  cast  out,  I  heartily  approve  its  full  meaning." 

Those  who  would  see  the  inquiry  considered  more  particu- 
larly, may  peruse  a  sixpenny  pamphlet,  lately  published  at 
Edinburgh,  called,  "  Considerations  on  an  Inquiry,  &c." 

Toward  the  end  of  last  year  (1761,)  was  published  in 
London,  thoug-h  not  in  EdinburMi  till  March,  1762,  a  book 
entitled, 

"  Pahemon's  Creed  Reviewed  and  Examined;  wherein 
several  gross  and  dangerous  Errors  advanced  by  the  author 
of  the  Letters  on  Theron  and  Aspasio  are  Detected  and 
Refuted,  and  the  Protestant  Doctrine  Concerning  the  Cove- 
nant of  Works  and  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  Conviction  of  Sin, 
Regeneration,  Faith,  Justification,  Inherent  Grace,  &c., 
Vindicated  from  the  cavils  and  exceptions  of  that  Author, 
and  shown  to  be  entirely  conformable  to  the  Apostolic  Doc- 
trine concerning  the  several  points  aforementioned."  In  two 
volumes,  by  David  Wilson. 

This  book  may  be  considered  as  the  best  answer  to  Palae- 


460  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION, 

mon  that  has  yet  appeared,  and  that  in  three  respects.  1.  It 
is  the  most  copious  and  particular  one.  2.  As  it  espouses 
most  points  of  the  popular  doctrine  censured  by  Pahetnon,  so 
it  gives  the  fullest  view  of  the  temper  of  mind  which  that  doc- 
trine inspires,  as  how  it  operates  when  roused  by  opposition, 
and  what  low  arts  it  must  use  to  hide  the  shame  of  its  favourite 
doctrine,  when  freely  exposed  in  its  proper  hatefulness  by  tbe 
Scriptures.  3.  The  favourable  reception  it  hath  obtained 
among  those  whom  Palaemon  obviously  intended  to  point 
forth  as  the  most  zealous  enemies  of  the  gospel,  clearly 
evinces  the  inattention  or  insincerity  of  those  who  afiect  to 
insinuate,  that  there  is  little  or  no  difference  between  the  truth 
Palcemon  contends  for,  and  the  popular  doctrine :  yea,  it 
serves  to  show,  that  there  must  bean  irrcconcileable  aversion 
between  the  two.  This  book,  then,  may  be  considered  as  the 
best  answer  PaljBmon  has  got,  as  being,  in  most  respects,  sub- 
servient to  his  views,  and  affording  the  fullest  confirmation 
of  his  censures. 

As  the  author  is  known  to  be  a  preacher  of  the  Scotch 
covenant,  in  London,  and  of  that  which  consists  in  believing 
what  cannot  be  called  true  till  it  be  believed,  his  doctrine  is 
not  like  to  have  much  weight  with  those  who  hope  to  be  saved 
by  the  truth  already  ascertained  in  the  Scripture,  and  who 
have  thence  learned  to  hold  in  just  abomination  every  attempt 
to  revive  horrid  principles  of  extirpation,  which  become  doubly 
hateful  when  introduced  under  the  impious  pretence  of  their 
being  patronized  by  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus,  than  which  it 
will  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  base  impudent  falsehood. 

It  may  seem  at  first  view  no  small  condescension  in  the 
sons  of  the  solemn  league,  to  take  such  pains  in  convicting 
heretics  whom  they  cannot  extirpate.  But,  then,  it  must  be 
remembered,  that  the  old  tyrant  their  father  is  dead,  having 
experienced  the  truth  of  that  ancient  saying,  all  iheij  that 
take  the  sioord,  shall  perish  with  the  sword ;  and  that  he  was 
solemnly  buried  (firm  may  the  turf  lie  on  his  head)  by  con- 
sent of  the  three  estates  of  the  kingdom  at  the  revolution, 
having  left  behind  him  only  some  weakly  posthumous  chil- 
dren, who  frequently,  with  sad  countenances,  point  at  his  grave, 
lamenting  his  untimely  fate.  As  his  memory  is  very  dear  to 
them,  they  have  contrived  to  make  an  image*  of  him,  which  is 
thought  by  some  to  be  as  like  him  as  a  dead  thing  can  well 


*  That  is,  a  bond  franieii,  not  twenty  years-  ago,  by  the  leaders  of  the 
secession,  as  much  after  t!ie  form  of  the  old  league  and  covcnai:t  as  the 
difference  of  the  times  would,  in  their  view,  admit. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  461 

be  to  a  livinir.     Being  desirous  that  the  memory  of  their 
father  should  be  preserved  as  lively  as  possible  by  means  of 
this  image,  they  have  resolved,  demanded,  and  solicited,  that 
the  same  homage  should  be  paid  to  the  image  as  seems  due 
to  the  original,  at  least  so  long  as  the  latter  remains  under 
ground.     For  however  strange  it  may  seem,  they  still  enter- 
tain hopes,  as  well  as  fervent  wishes,  that  such  a  favour- 
able concurrence  of  circumstances  may  happen,  as  that  the 
old  tyrant  himself  may  yet  be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  once 
more  bless  his  children,  and  terrify  their  foes  by  a  sight  of 
his  awful  face.     Meanwhile,  however,  the  homage  demand- 
ed for  the  image  goes  but  heavily  forward  ;    for  many,  even 
of  the  acknowledged  children,  scruple  to  pay  it.     Nor  is  this 
to  be  wondered  at;  for  it  is  difficult  to  supply  the  place  even 
of  one  graven  image  by  another,  without  the  risk  of  greatly 
diminishing  the  wonted  homage,  as  may  appear  from  the 
following  passage  of  Maitland's  History  of  Edinburgh,  rela- 
ting an  event  that  happened  there  in  1558. 
■  •'  The  reformation  of  religion  in   Scotland  being  greatly 
encouraged  by  people  of  all  ranks,   the  populace,  out  of  a 
furious  zeal,  destroyed  the  monasteries  and  images  in    all 
parts;  and  the  first  of  September,   which  was  approaching, 
being   St.  Giles's  day,  the  tutelar  saint  of  Edinburgh,  the 
Popish  priests  and  monks,  according  to  custom,  made  great 
preparations  to  celebrate  that  anniversary  in  honour  of  their 
patron:  and  lest  the  new  converts  should  disturb  the  proces- 
sion, they  humbly  entreated  the  queen-regent  to  honour  the 
solemnity   with   her  presence,   which  they  imagined  would 
prevent  the  insults  of  the  populace;  which  Mary  agreeing  to, 
they  prepared  a  magnificent  pageant,  whereon  the  statue  of 
St.  Giles  was  to  be  placed  and   carried   in  triumph  through 
the  city.     All  things  being  ready  for  the  sumptuous  proces- 
sion, both  regulars  and  seculars  repaired  in  great  state  to  the 
shrine  of  St.  Giles,  to  fetch  his  statue  to  be  carried  in  triumph; 
but,  as  ill-luck   would  have  it,   it  was  carried  ofi'  the  night 
before  by  some  mischievous  enemy,  which  had  like  to  put  an 
end  to  the  whole  aflair.     But  that  St.  Giles  might  not  lose 
the  honour  of  a  triumph,  a  small  statue  was  borrowed  from 
the  Grayfriars,  which  the  people  in  derision  caWcd  i/oinig;  St. 
Giles;    which  being  attended  by  a  great  number  both  of 
priests  and  monks,  and  fine  bands  of  music,  marched  in  great 
pomp   through  the   chief  streets   of   Edinburgh.     But  the 
regent  withdrawing  a  little  before  the  procession   was  over^ 
the  mob  dismounted  young  St  Giles  from  his  throne  and  tore 
him    in    pieces;     which  so  intimidated   his  attendants,  that 
39* 


462  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION 

happy  was  he  that  could  secure  himself  from  the  fury  of  the 
enraged  multitude.  But,  by  the  prudent  management  of  the 
magistrates,  none  suffered  but  young  St.  Giles,  who  was  en- 
tirely demolished." 

This  story  may  likewise  serve  to  remind  us  of  several 
other  useful,  though  obvious  reflections;  as,  that  all  idols  set 
up  by  the  clergy  triumph  or  sink  into  contempt  according  as 
princes  and  those  in  power  give  or  withdraw  their  counte- 
nance ;  that  the  popular  clergy  will  fall  upon  strange  shifts 
rather  than  suffer  a  displaced  idol  to  want  some  kind  of  sub- 
stitute ;  that  the  triumphant  idols,  which  formerly  made 
Christendom  tremble,  and  the  modern  substitutes  differ  in 
reality  no  more  than  an  old  and  a  young  St.  Giles:  and  that 
when  the  magistrates  are  prudent,  even  the  more  Ibrmidable 
idols  may  slide  easily  into  contempt,  without  damage  to  any 
living  soul. 

The  retainers  of  the  young  solemn  league,  not  having  the 
countenance  of  a  prince  to  command  respect,  have  hitheito 
declined  the  attempt  of  honouring  him  with  a  public  triumph, 
least  they  should  provoke  the  greater  insult  both  against 
him  and  themselves.  They  content  themselves  at  present 
with  doing  him  homage  within  doors,  by  sok  mnly  swearing 
fealty  to  him  with  uplifted  hands,  and  confirming  the  same 
by  subscribing  their  names;  yet,  as  it  is  highly  convenient 
that  his  followers  and  well-wishers  should  be  as  numerous 
as  possible,  the  most  tender  indulgence  is  shown  to  such  of 
them  as  scruple  to  pay  the  full  homage,  or,  as  the  phrase  is, 
want  light  about  it.  For  these  are  admitted  to  the  highest 
privileges  of  brethren,  provided  they  are  found  lying- open  to 
light,  and  using  the  mrans  of  instruction,  that  is,  if  they  seri- 
ously peruse  the  Avritings,  and  reverently  attend  the  procla- 
mations of  the  young  league's  heralds.  And  perha}:s  the 
heralds  themselves  are  sensible,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  paint  a 
dead  image  in  so  lively  colours  as  to  strike  the  ey(  s  of  the 
beholders  with  that  same  evidence  of  mtijtsty,  which  ^^c^-ld 
shine  so  naturally  from  the  awful  presence  of  the  living  oii- 
ginal.  For  if  the  old  tyrant  himself  should  yet  arise  ficm 
the  dead,  and  having  the  sword  carried  be  fore-  him,  step  for- 
ward in  his  wonted  fierceness,  holding  in  his  right  hand  the 
Bible  open  at  Curse  ye  Meroz,  and  with  his  le  ft  shaking  his 
parchment,  enacting  al!  pains,  ci^  il  and  ccclesii:slic  ;  v.  ho  can 
doubt  but  he  would  soon  dispel  the  darkness  from  the  eyes 
of  many,  who  now  excuse  the  deficiency  of  their  hon!£ge  by 
their  want  of  light? 

However  much  the  sons  of  the  sclemn  lec.ouc,  who  ^ulsist 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  463 

by  the  g-enerous  indulgence  of  the  present  government,  have 
shown  themselves  unworthy  of  that  blessing-,  by  their  unnat- 
ural murmuring  against  the  legal  toleration,  not  to  say 
establishment,  enjoyed  by  others ;  yet  I  would  be  far  from 
grudging  them  the  benefit  of  that  toleration,  which  they  so 
much  grudge  to  see  bestowed  on  their  neiirhbours :  yea,  I 
ought  rather  to  wish  the  continuance  of  that  benefit  to  them, 
not  only  from  principles  of  humanity  toward  those,  who, 
however  disposed,  are  unable  to  hurt  the  public  tranquillity, 
but  also  in  regard  that  the  continuance  of  such  a  religious 
body,  enjoying  the  protection  of  the  government,  is,  in  several 
respects,  an  useful  and  instructive  sight. 

They  serve,  like  the  impotent  remains  of  Jacobitism,  as  a 
a  standing  proof  of  the  generosity  and  easy  security  of  our 
government,  which  is  no  more  afiected  by  their  murmuring 
than  the  well-mounted  horseman  is  by  the  little  barking  crea- 
tures of  the  villages  through  which  he  passes,  whose  hoarse 
notes  he  considers  rather^  an  enlivening  salute,  than  a  cause 
of  serious  resentment.  They  serve,  also,  like  the  Jews, 
for  a  standing  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures,  while 
ihey  bear  witness  to  those  w^ritings  as  Divinely  inspired, 
which  afibrd  the  clearest  documents  of  the  absurdness  and 
hypocrisy  of  their  conduct.  Moreover,  they  serve  the  same 
end  in  the  present  age,  as  did  their  ancestors  the  Jews  and 
Judaizing  Christians  in  the  apostolic  age,  who,  by  the  oppo- 
sition, kept  alive  the  controversy  about  the  faith,  and  furnished 
occasion  to  the  apostles  and  their  adherents  to  make  the  evi- 
dence ofthe  truth  concerning  Christ's  person  and  kingdom  to 
shine  forth  the  more  clearly  in  its  beautiful  simplicity  and 
consistency.  Farther,  it  might  be  difficult  to  persuade  some 
Christians,  who  have  little  opportunity  of  reading  history, 
that  the  gospel  has  already  been  corrupted  as  much  as  the 
apostles  foretold,  if  such  living  proofs  were  wanting. 

Now,  when  one  beholds  such  men  teaching  us  to  hope  for 
salvation,  by  believing  what  is  not  true  till  it  be  believed,  and 
abusing  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus  to  patronize  the  same  cor- 
rupt worldly  views,  on  account  of  which  the  reformers  cen- 
sured the  Church  of  Rome,  must  he  not  think  it  very  diverting 
to  see  these  same  sons  of  the  solemn  league  setting  up  for 
champions  of  the  Protestant  doctrine  against  Popish  tenets, 
unless  he  considers  their  serious  aim  to  be,  to  persuade  us  to 
be  true  Scotch  instead  of  Roman  Catholics? 

When  we  observe  how  deeply  our  reviewer  has  been 
afflicted  by  Palsemon's  censure  of  his  doctrine,  and  his  wor- 
thies who  patronize  it,  and  at  the  same  time  reflect  that  he  is 


464  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

a  son  of  the  solemn  league,  we  must  own,  that  he  bears  his 
chastisement  as  well  as  could  be  expected.  The  virtue  of 
patience  is  always  most  conspicuous  when  it  sustains  properly 
the  greatest  trials.  So  well  is  the  reviewer  armed  with  this 
virtue,  that,  even  after  the  fatigue  of  advancing  to  the  middle 
of  his  second  volume,  he  says,  p.  159,  "I  would  not  choose 
to  render  railing  for  railing,"  which  plainly  indicates  a  very 
sober-minded  choice.  Nor  must  we  too  hastily  conclude  that 
he  had  no  idea  of  the  propriety  of  such  a  choice,  though  we 
find  him,  from  beginning  to  end  of  his  two  volumes,  frequently 
discharging  his  heart  in  such  noisy  explosions  as  these  noted 
below;*  for  even  ships  of  war  sometimes  discharge  guns 
that  have  no  tendency  to  annoy  the  enemy,  but  serve  merely 
as  signals  of  distress.  How  averse  he  is  to  give  the  least 
offence  to  Palaemon,  may  appear  from  his  modestly  with- 
drawing from  his  worthies  the  title  of  Reverend,  which  he 
is  satisfied  well  becomes  them.  "  I  have,"  says  he,  "  omitted 
the  title  of  Reverend,  lest  it  should  offend  our  author."! 
Since  the  reviewer,  then,  is  so  inoffensively  disposed,  have  we 
not  some  reason  to  conclude,  that  if  he  could  have  found 
relief  to  his  mind  otherwise,  he  would  have  fired  fewer  guns 
of  distress? 

His  distress  may  farther  appear,  both  by  the  charges  he 
brings,  and  his  manner  of  evincing  them.  The  general 
charge,  which  is  several  times  repeated  in  nearly  the  same 
words,  may  be  seen  in  vol.  2,  p.  297,  where  speaking  of  that 

*  For  shortnes.^,  and  to  provent  mistakes,  his  book  may  he  cited  under 
the  name  of  Eevieio ;  vol.  ],  this  impious  writer,  p.  i27;  ag^ents  for 
hell  and  factors  for  the  devil,  207 ;  a  malignant  opposition  to  the  true 
doctrine  of  the  gospel — with  a  malicious  attempt  to  defame,  213;  and 
there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  but  God  will  seasonably  vindicate  the  hon- 
our of  his  own  name — by  stopping  the  mouths  of  such  liars  and  blas- 
phemers, 187.  Again,  vol.  2,  reveries  of  a  (fistempered  imagination, 
occasioned  by  a  rooted  disaffection  and  malicious  oj)pos!tion — .scoffing 
libertine  and  stubborn  sectary,  1-59 ;  such  brainsick  writers  as  he,  163; 
snch  a.  farrago  of  cnide,  senseless,  and  contradictory  notions,  187;  an 
hnpudent  ranting  sectarv.  197  ;  by  manv  decrees  exceeded  the  grossest 
Pelagians  in  heresy  and  blasphemy,  219;  his  impious  as.sertions,  and 
blasphemous  insinuations,  220;  .sctirrilous  reproaches,  227;  wicked 
prevarication,  and  scandalous  disingenuity — blasphemous  insinuating, 
228 ;  makes  every  appearance  or  seniblance  of  practical  religion  and 
godliness  a  subject  of*  ridicide,  and  treats  all  Christian  exercise  and 
experience  with  the  most  profane  contempt.  231  ;  such  an  amazing 
height  of  impiety — such  an  instance  of  daring  impiety  and  blasphemy — 
that  scheme  of  principles,  or  rather,  hodge-podge  of  error,  nonsense, 
and  blasphemy — for  impiety  and  blasphemy  few  of  them  [the  doctrines 
of  devils]  have  exceeded,  or  even  equalled,  241, 

t  Review,  vol.  1,  p.  117. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD    EDITION.  465 

crood  which  PalaMiion  has  the.  assurance  to  call  the  ojicicyit 
apostolic  gospel,  he  adds,  "  And  I  hope  the  intelligent  and 
impartial  reader,  by  this  time,  will  easily  perceive,  that,  far 
from  meriting  that  honourable  appellation,  it  is  nothing  else 
but  a  confused  jumble  of  Pelagian,  Popish,  Socinian,  and 
Antinomian  errors,  blended  together  with  a  little  art,  and  in- 
terspersed now  and  then  with  some  fontastical  notions  pecu- 
liar to  that  new  society  of  sectaries  in  Scotland,"  &c.  To 
evince  this  charge,  which  is  distributed  into  twenty  articles, 
is  the  task  he  undertakes :  and  what  distresses  him  is,  that  he 
can  find  so  little  evidence.  Hence,  we  find  him  so  often  com- 
plaining of  PaL-emon's  obscurity,  as  Pref  p.  42,  "  It  would 
be  a  very  unpleasant  task  to  follow  this  extraordinary  writer 
through  all  the  mazes  of  obscurity,  mysticism,  ambiguity,  and 
inconsistency,  in  which  he  endeavours  to  entangle  the  igno- 
rant and  the  unwary.  It  must,  indeed,  be  acknowledged, 
that  this  writer  has  thrown  such  a  mist  of  ambiguity  and  ob- 
scurity upon  almost  every  subject  he  treats  of,  as  makes  it 
very  difficult  to  know  what  are  his  real  sentiments.  He  has 
buried  almost  every  subject  he  touches  upon  in  such  ambi- 
guity and  obscurity,  that  it  is  often  very  difficult  to  know 
whether  his  words  have  this  or  that  meaning,  any  meaning, 
or  no  meaning." 

Moreover,  it  distresses  him  to  find  any  one  pretending  to 
receive  the  least  instruction  from  such  a  trifling  writer. 
*'  What  pity  is  it  that  men  should  suffer  themselves  thus  to 
be  bantered  out  of  their  religion  and  reason  too,  by  the  scorn- 
ful and  senseless  reflections  of  one  of  the  most  trifling,  though 
one  of  the  most  arrogant  writers  that  this,  or  perhaps  any 
age  has  produced?''*  Now,  reader,  is  it  not  somewhat 
strange,  that  an  obscure,  trifling,  and  withal  arrogant  writer, 
should  put  together  a  confused  jumble  of  senseless  notions, 
in  words  to  wdiich  it  is  often  difficult  to  affix  any  meaning, 
and  yet  in  composing  this  jumble,  to  lay  down  a  plan  for 
deceiving,  not  only  the  simple,  but  also  those  of  whom  other 
things  might  have  been  expected,  and  that  even  in  the  most 
important  matters?  yet  it  seems  "thus  he  endeavours  to  de- 
ceive the  simple,  and  has  actually  imposed  upon  some,  of 
whom  other  things  might  have  been  expected;  but  it  is 
hoped,  the  more  judicious  will  easily  perceive  the  artifice, 
and  escape  the  snare  which  he  has  laid  for  the  inattentive 
and  unwary.-' t 

Now,  to  what  shall  we  compare  the  strange  obscurity  of 

*  Review,  Prof.  p.  52,  t  Review,  Pref.  p.  47, 


4G6  APPENDIX  TO  THE   THIRD  EDITION. 

Palaiinon's  creed  ?  It  seems  to  resemble  the  blackness  of 
an  impending  storm,  dark  and  dreadful  at  once  ;  and  it  would 
seem,  that,  in  the  one  case,  as  in  the  other,  a  gleam  of  light- 
ning now  and  then  darts  through  the  gloom,  adding  increase 
of  trouble  to  the  beholder's  mind.  That  our  reviewer  is  both 
troubled  at  that  creed,  and  at  the  same  time  straitened  to  ac- 
count for  the  design  or  artifice  manifest  in  it,  may  appear 
from  his  own  words;  for  he  says,  "  It  is  not  easy  to  conceive 
what  the  writer  could  intend  by  troubling  the  world  w^ith 
such  ?i  farrago  of  crude,  senseless,  and  contradictory  notions 
as  he  hath  thrown  together  on  this  subject"*  of  faith.  Now, 
why  should  a  foolish  book  about  religion  trouble  the  world 
so  well  accustomed  to  such  productions  '?  But  if  Palcemon's 
creed  be  supposed  the  same  with  that  of  the  apostles,  and 
accordingly  to  have  something  Divine  about  it,  then  the 
wonder  will  cease :  for  it  was  said  long  ago,  "  These  men 
do  exceedingly  trouble  our  city."  And  when  the  author  of 
the  Christian  creed  was  born,  though  his  earthly  condition 
was  very  obscure,  yet  that  event  being  attended  with  an  ap- 
prehension that  God  was  there,  we  find  that  Herod  and  all 
Jerusalem  with  him  were  troubled  on  that  occasion. 

It  may  likewise  be  remarked,  that  as  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles  about  faith  is  very  closely  connected  with  their  ac- 
count of  the  heavenly  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom,  which  is 
not  of  this  world  ;  so  nothing  serves  more  effectually  to  fill 
the  clergy's  kingdom  with  darkness,  and  defeat  their  attempts 
to  restore  it,  than  a  free  display  of  the  Scripture  doctrine  on 
the  connection  of  these  two  important  points.  And  the  New 
Testament  forbids  us  to  be  surprised,  when  on  that  event  we 
find  the  clergy,  instead  of  repenting  of  their  deeds,  gnawing 
their  tongues  for  pain,  and  to  ease  their  hearts,  opening  their 
mouths  in  strange  expressions  against  that  doctrine,  and  all 
who  maintain  it.  How  much  the  reviewer  is  galled  by  that 
doctrine,  which  neither  he  nor  his  fellows,  though  long  since 
loudly  called  upon,  have  yet  dared  to  answer;  and  what 
strange  things  the  anguish  of  his  heart  compels  him  to  utter, 
(while  he  looks  back  with  wishful  eyes  toward  that  period, 
which  appears  so  glorious  in  his  eyes,  when  his  forefathers, 
the  covenanters,  with  a  high  hand*  wielded  the  persecuting 
sword,)  may  be  seen  in  many  pages  of  his  book,  particularly 
toward  the  end  of  his  preface,  and  toward  the  end  of  each 
volume,  and  in  p.  159,  of  the  last.  But,  however  great  the 
anguish  of  such  men  may  be.  Christians  are  not  allowed  to 

*  Review,  vol.  2,  p.  187. 


1 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  4G7 

sympathize  with  them  ;  because  it  is  said  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer, that  in  recovering'  his  people  from  the  anti-christian 
kingdom,  or  spiritual  }3abylon,  he  ahull  thoroughly  plead 
their  cause,  not  only  to  give  rest  to  his  land  or  his  people, 
but  also  with  this  express  intention,  to  disquiet  the  inhabitants 
of  Babi/lon,  as  we  now  see  abundantly  verified  at  this  day. 
Therefore,  let  Babylon,  with  those  who  lament  her  decay, 
bear  her  judgment,  and  let  Christians  join  with  the  honoura- 
ble company  mentioned  in  the  heavenly  proclamation,  "  Re- 
joice over  her  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets, 
for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her." 

If  we  attend  the  reviewer  a  little  farther,  we  may  find  him 
no  less  troubled  with  the  light  than  with  the  darkness  of 
PalcEmon's  creed.  The  case  seems  to  stand  thus  :  Palajmon's 
scheme,  at  first  vieio,  ivould  seem  to  be  a  defence  of  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine ;  this  one  would  take  to  be  the  geiiuine  and  obvious 
signification  of  his  words ;  but  this  can  by  no  means  be  ad- 
mitted ;  for  if  he  had  honestly  interided  to  vindicate  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine,  he  icould  never  have  discovered  such  a  warm 
opposition  to  such  eminent  preachers,  of  the  gospel*  "  We 
do  allow  that  there  are  some  valuable  truths  which  he  some- 
times appears  to  set  in  a  very  clear  and  strong  light,"!  though 
never  with  a  good  intention.  His  constant  opposition  to  the 
orthodox  plainly  proves  that  he  must  have  an  heterodox  or 
heretical  intention  in  all  that  he  says.  But  the  great  difficulty 
is,  how  to  convict  him  of  this  wicked  intention,  so  as  to  make 
it  plainly  appear  to  others  from  his  own  words.  This  diffi- 
culty is  the  greater,  that  the  cunning  heretic  hath  carefully 
studied  so  to  choose  and  arrange  his  words,  that  at  first  view 
they  would  seem  to  present  a  good  and  sound  meaning,  and 
this  sound  meaning  one  would  take  to  be  their  genuine  and 
obvious  signification.  Yet  by  these  same  words  his  wicked 
intention  must  be  proved.  A  hard  task  it  must  be  owned  ! 
who  would  not  in  this  case  complain  aloud  of  the  obscure 
prospect  before  him?  And  had  not  the  reviewer  reason  to 
say,  "  it  would  be  a  very  unpleasant  task  to  follow  this  extra- 
ordinary writer  through  all  the  mazes  of  obscurity,"  &.c. 
and  accordingly  to  rake  the  best  method  he  could  to  abridge 
his  labour  ? 

The  task  of  detecting  the  heretic  however  is  undertaken. 
The  prying  reviewer,  by  carefully  poring  on  Palasmon's  words, 
at  last  obtained  something  like  the  faculty  of  second  sight  in 
regard  to  them,  which  made  them  wear  quite  another  aspect 


•  Review,  Pref.  p.  12.  t  Vol.  2,  p.  297. 


468  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

than  they  obviously  do  atfirstview  ;  and  accordingly  found 
that,  by  the  help  of  a  little  art,  they  may  be  so  explained  as 
to  admit  of  a  sense  quite  opposite  to  that  which  one  would 
lake  to  be  their  genuine  and  obvious  signification  ;  and  the 
whole  scheme  may  be  turned  into  almost  as  many  different 
shapes  as  you  please.  For  though,  at  first  view,  it  would  seem 
to  be  laid  in  opposition  to  some  dangerous  corruptions  of  the 
Christian  doctrine,  especially  concerning  justification  through 
the  imputed  righteousness,  it  may  be  so  explained  as  to  favour 
either  Pelagiimism,  or  Antinomianism,  Socinianism,  or  Po- 
pery ;  yea,  one  might  easily  form  a  creed  out  of  it,  containing 
the  substance  of  all  the  heresies  just  now  mentioned,  in  so  fir 
as  they  relate  to  faith,  jusllfication,  regeneration,  conversion, 
sanctlfication,  &c."* 

When  Palaemon's  words  and  sentiments  are  once  tho- 
roughly grounded  to  powder  in  the  reviewer's  mill,  and  then 
wrought  up  into  a  new  paste,  or  digested  into  his  summary, 
and  then  carefully  reviewed  and  examined,  then  the  reader 
m<iy  easiii/  form  a  very  different  judgment,  concerning  the 
scope  and  tendency  of  his  whole  scheme  from  what  he  could 
at  first  view.  So  after  intimating  how  unpleasant  it  would 
be  to  follow  Palasmon's  mazes  step  by  step,  as  he  had  at  first 
intended,  he  adds,  "  Upon  second  thoughts  I  changed  my  re- 
solution, apprehending  it  would  be  more  for  the  benefit  of  the 
reader,  and  less  trouble  to  myself,  to  collect  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal heads  of  his  new  doctrine  into  one  sumniarij,  which 
being  carefully  reviewed  and  examined,  one  may  easily  form 
a  judgment  concerning  the  scope  and  tendency  of  his  whole 
scheme.''t 

It  is  proper  likewise  to  observe,  that  though  it  was  Palee- 
mon's  design  to  catch  the  simple,  and  make  his  errors  take 
hokl  even  of  the  inattentive,  yet  so  wretchedly  and  obscurely 
hath  he  executed  his  design,  that  even  his  more  palpable  ab- 
surdities and  gross  abominations  lie  concealed  in  his  writings, 
so  as  frequently  to  elude  the  observation  of  the  simple  and 
inattentive;"  and  perhaps  might  have  remained  concealed  from 
their  view,  if  they  have  not  been  aided  by  some  such  saga- 
cious pointer  as  our  reviewer.  Take  his  own  words.  As  ?t 
would  be  needless  to  pursue  this  author  through  all  the  tire- 
some an  I  intricate  paths  of  error,  in  which  he  endeavours  to 
entangle  his  unwary  reader,  we  must  content  ourselves  with 
giving  only  a  {tw  hints,  that  perhaps  may  be  of  use  for  de- 
tecting some  of  the   more   palpable   absurdities,  and  gross 


Review,  Pref.  p.  44.  f  Review,  Pref.  p.  4"2. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  469 

abominations,  which  lie  concealed  in  his  writings,  so  as  fre- 
quently to  elude  the  observation  of  the  simple  and  inatten- 
tive."* 

Though  the  reviewer  is  at  great  pains  to  lay  open  Palae- 
mon's  heresy,  yet  by  some  strange  accident  so  it  happens, 
that  the  sentiments  of  the  latter  are  so  closely  w^rapt  up  in  the 
disguise  of  truth  and  sound  meaning,  that  the  former,  after 
writing  more  than  200  pages  of  his  review,  is  greatly  per- 
plexed how  to  tear  off  that  disguise,  while  yet  he  would  have 
his  reader  take  his  honest  word  for  it,  that,  were  the  disguise 
once  fairly  stripped  off^  the  wickedness  of  the  heretic's  senti- 
ments would  instantly  be  obvious  to  the,  meanest  capacity. — 
Take  his  own  words  again,  "  Were  this  gentleman's  peculiar 
tenets  stripped  of  all  disguise,  cleared  of  all  ambiguity,  and 
set  forth  in  a  plain  simple  dress,  their  contrariety  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  all  true  Christian  experience,  would  instantly  bo 
obvious  to  the  meanest  capacity  :  and  a  malignant  opposition 
to  the  true  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  the  power  of  godliness, 
with  a  malicious  attempt  to  defame  the  memory  and  character 
of  a  number  of  worthy  men,  who  showed  a  laudable  zeal,  and 
hearty  concern  for  the  purity  of  the  gospel,  found  to  be  the 
special  characteristics  of  his  strange  performance."! 

If  what  is  here  wished  for  could  only  be  done,  all  matters 
would  be  easy ;  but  Palsemon  is  such  a  cunning  rogue,  that 
the  best  pointer  is  in  hazard  of  losing  his  scent  in  following 
him  ;  so  the  reviewer  immediately  subjoins  to  the  words  last 
cited:  "But  he  is  remarkable  for  a  peculiar  dexterity  in 
expressing  himself,  so  as  to  reserve  a  number  of  little  subter- 
fuges, to  which  he  may  have  recourse  when  attacked,  and 
avoid  the  dint  of  any  argument  that  may  be  offered  in  confu- 
tation of  his  darling  sentiments.  If  he  should  be  beaten  out 
of  one,  he  has  another  to  fly  to ;  and  to  pursue  him  through 
all  the  dreary  paths  of  ainbiguity,  mysticism,  and  obscurity, 
and  the  several  refuges  of  lies,  in  which  he  endeavours  to 
secure  himself  from  the  blows  of  any  adversary  that  may 
think  fit  to  attack  him,  must  be  acknowledged  to  be  no  pleasant 
nor  easy  task." 

Nor  is  it  easy  for  the  reviewer  to  compose  his  mind  so 
much  as  to  be  able  to  affix  any  certain  character  to  Palasmon, 
whose  book  sometimes  appears  a  masterpiece  of  deceitful  arti- 
fice, at  other  times  such  a  confused  jumble  of  senseless  con- 
tradictory notions,  that  the  reviewer  is  obliged  to  say  at  the 
close  of  his  17th  article,  "But  it  is  to  no  purpose  to  reason 

•  Review,  vol.  1,  p.  119.  t  Ibid.  vol.  1,  213. 

40 


470  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

with  one  who  either  knows  not  or  cares  not  what  he  says."  At 
another  time  Palaemon  is  scarce  inferior  to  the  devil  himself 
for  contrivance :  "  Perhaps  the  devil  himself  could  never  have 
invented  an  engine  more  effectual  for  supporting  and  promo- 
ting all  the  interests  of  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  and  in  the 
heart  of  men,  that  this  [scheme  of  justification,]  especially  as  it 
is  improved  by  the  letter  writer,  must  be  acknowledged 
to  be."* 

Yea,  so  distressed  is  the  reviewer  with  the  light  or  clear 
evidence  of  design  shining  through  the  dark  chaos  of  Palse- 
mon's  book,  that  one  would  think  his  own  mind  was  some- 
what disordered  or  jumbled  by  it,  like  the  good  people  in  his 
brother  Mr.  Mackie's  neighbourhood,  who,  as  we  have  heard 
above,  were  thrown  into  a  jumble  by  the  same  means.  For 
he  sometimes,  even  in  the  same  sentence,  calls  what  is  con- 
tained in  said  book  a  medley,  or  confused  jumble  of  things  put 
together  with  art,  imagining  perhaps  to  soften  the  contradiction 
by  saying,  a,  little  art.  That  strange  book,  then,  is  a  fortuit- 
ous concourse  of  atoms  in  thick  darkness,  or  "a  confused  jum- 
ble of  many  different  things  put  together  without  any  order  or 
connection  ;"t  yet  by  some  strange  chance  arranging  them- 
selves in  such  order,  as  everywhere  to  show  evidence  of  inten- 
tion, yea,  of  unity  of  design  through  the  whole,  and  so  clearly, 
that  even  our  reviewer,  notwithstanding  the  mist  of  obscurity 
he  has  to  look  through,  is  obliged  to  confess  that  all  this  could 
scarcely  happen  without  some  little  art. 

Though  the  reviewer  hath  taken  no  small  pains  to  unde- 
ceive the  simple,  yet  he  is  scarce  willing  to  risk  his  discove- 
ries on  the  verdict  of  such  readers  ;  but  by  frequent  courtesies 
he  hath  contracted  a  very  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
judicious,  intelligent,  and  impartial  reader,  who,  after  so  many 
instructions,  would  be  very  unworthy  of  the  pains  taken  with 
him,  if  he  did  not  acknowledge,  as  his  instructor  kindly  hopes, 
that  he  easily  perceives  at  least  the  more  gross  and  palpable 
heresies  which  lie  concealed  in  Palasmon's  writings. 

As  for  Palsemon,  since  he  is  allowed  to  have  some  faculty, 
or  to  have  endeavoured  with  some  success,  to  persuade  the 
simple,  it  would  ill  become  him  to  despise  such  readers  ;  yea, 
it  is  only  from  such  readers  as  are  so  simple  as  to  entertain  a 
friendly  bias  toward  his  creed,  that  he  can  expect  a  favourable 
ear  to  his  defence  of  it;  as  for  the  judicious,  intelligent, 
impartial,  or  unbiassed  readers,  as  he  has  not  the  honour  of 

*  Review,  p.  122. 

t  The  reviewer's  explication  of  farrago,  vol.  2,  p.  187. 


J 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  471 

being  acquainted  with  them,  so  he  despairs  of  writing  much 
to  their  satisfaction,  till  they  receive  some  bias  in  favour  of 
his  creed,  and  so  take  their  rank  with  the  simple. 

For  answer,  then,  to  the  review,  simple  reader,  be  advised 
by  your  friend  Palaemon,  to  take  his  meaning  as  it  appears 
to  you  at  first  view,  or,  according  to  the  genuine  and  obvious 
signification  of  his  words ;  and  if  there  be  any  gross  palpa- 
ble heresies  that  lie  concealed  in  his  writings,  he  wishes,  for 
your  sake  and  his  own,  that  they  may  remain  forever  con- 
cealed from  your  sight.  As  to  the  reviewer's  account  of 
Palaemon's  tenets,  you  are  in  no  great  hazard  of  being  impo- 
sed upon  by  it,  because  you  see  it  wants  even  the  requisite 
character  of  tolerable  fiction,  to  wit,  probability.  So  you  find 
he  resembles  the  lowest  class  of  painters,  who  take  care  to 
inform  the  spectator  by  what  name  he  should  call  the  picture. 
Hence  you  find  what  he  gives  you  for  Palaemon's  tenets,  so 
often  marked  with  some  of  the  worst  sounding  names  he  can 
find  in  his  catalogue  of  heretics. 

Observe  now  what  rule  he  lays  down  for  convicting  the 
heretic.  "  We  must  not  take  an  estimate  of  his  principles 
from  any  assertions  which  we  find  occasionally  dropt  in  his 
letters,  but  from  the  general  scope  and  purport  of  them,  and 
especially  from  the  doctrines  he  shows  the  strongest  inclina- 
tion to  oppose  and  vilify."*  This  agrees  with  what  was  said 
in  preface,  p.  12,  "  Had  this  gentleman  honestly  intended  to 
vindicate  the  doctrine  of  justification  through  the  imputed 
righteousness, — he  would  never  have  discovered  such  a 
warm  opposition  to  those  eminent  preachers  of  the  gospel, 
who  made  it  their  business,  and  whose  leading  aim  it  was,  in 
all  their  discourses  and  writings,  to  teach,  improve,  illustrate, 
and  vindicate  the  same  doctrine,"  <fec.  How  far  Palaemon's 
doctrine  is  from  being  the  same  with  theirs,  is  sufliciently 
evident  by  the  wide  difference  between  him  and  the  reviewer, 
who,  it  seems,  is  sustained  as  their  advocate  by  the  people 
who  adhere  both  to  him  and  them.  Now,  Palaemon  must 
be  a  vile  heretic,  because  he  opposes  so  many  worthy  men ; 
and,  therefore,  it  is  vain  for  him  to  pretend  to  clear  himself 
by  any  assertions  found  in  his  book,  on  however  many  occa- 
sions they  have  dropped  from  his  pen ;  for  if  he  had  been  a 
man  of  sound  principles,  he  would  never  have  opened  his 
mouth  against  the  solemn  league,  the  appropriation,  direct 
and  reflex  acts  of  faith,  and  all  the  worthy  men  v^^ho  have 
taught  us  to  reverence  these  things.     He  often  asserts  justifi- 

*  Review,  vol.  2,  p.  273. 


472  APPENDIX  TO  THK  THIRD  EDITION. 

cation  by  faith  without  works ;  but  what  signifies  his  asser- 
tions? his  meaning-  can  never  be  right,  so  long  as  he  opposes 
those  good  men,  who,  having  given  us  many  directions  how 
to  perform  a  right  act  of  faith,  or  to  essay  stretching  out  the 
withered  hand,  enforce  all  with  the  earnest  exhortation,  Uf 
therefore,  and  be  doing.  He  can  be  no  friend  to  the  interest 
of  religion,  because  he  despises  the  zealous  and  prudent  me- 
thods taken  by  good  men  to  make  Christianity  the  religion 
of  whole  nations,  so  to  free  that  religion  from  the  imperfec- 
tions of  its  infant  state,  when  it  stood  closely  connected  with 
that  inconvenient  thing  the  cross  :  for  no  wise  man  can  doubt 
but  it  is  much  more  convenient  for  Christians  to  be  in  a  con- 
dition to  chastise  unbelievers,  than  to  run  the  risk  of  receiv- 
ing chastisement  from  them.  Besides,  he  must  have  a  very 
profane  turn  of  mind,  because  he  laughs  at  the  serious  labours 
of  unbelievers  to  attain  to  justification  by  faith  without  works ; 
and  what  shows  his  profaneness  to  be  quite  extravagant,  is 
his  maintaining,  that  any  church  committing  that  fornication 
with  the  kings  of  the  earth,  spoke  of  in  John's  revelation, 
may  fitly  be  called  an  harlot,  and  can  have  no  resemblance 
to  the  virgin  daughter  of  Zion,  or  New  Testament  church, 
than  the  persecutor  has  to  a  Christian. 

An  instance  or  two  may  serve  for  a  specimen  of  the  re- 
viewer's account  of  Palaemon's  tenets.  "  What  shall  we 
think  of  Palcemon,  who — reproaches  and  blasphemes  the 
whole  work  of  his  Holy  Spirit  in  the  regeneration,  conver- 
sion, and  sanctification  of  believers  ?''*  Again,  "If  it  can 
be  said,  that  Palasmon — has  any  leading  sentiment,  it  is  the 
following,  namely:  that  the  Divine  righteousness,  or  the 
work  finished  by  Christ  on  the  cross,  is  so  all-sufficient  for 
the  justification  and  salvation  of  the  most  guilty,  as  to  super- 
sede all  necessity  of  any  inward  and  supernatural  work  of 
the  Divine  Spirit  upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of  men,"  &c.t 
Yet  Palasmon  is  afterward  charged  as  maintaining  the  con- 
nection between  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  rather  too  closely  for  the  reviewer, 
who  is  accordingly  at  pains  to  confute  him.  "  And  this,  by 
the  way,  may  serve  to  confute  the  strange  notion  advanced 
by  Palsemon  in  the  following  words:  There  is  no  separating 
the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth^X — But   how   much    Palaemon  hath  insisted  on  the 


*  Review,  vol.  1,  p.  136.        t  Ibid.  p.  137.        :t  Ibid.  vol.  2,  p.  66. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  473 

necessity  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  work  in  the  whole  matter  of 
man's  salvation,  needs  not  be  told  to  those  who  have  read 
him.  As  for  those  who  incline  to  take  his  reviewer's  account 
of  him,  they  may  do  as  suits  them  best. 

For  another  instance,  take  his  19th  article.  "A  believer 
ha-  no  occasion  to  consider  himself  as  being-  under  any  obli- 
gation to  yield  obedience  to  the  Divine  law,  nor  can  it  be  of 
any  advantage  to  him  in  regulating  his  practice  and  conver- 
sation." To  evince  this  he  begins  thus ;  "  I  do  not  remember 
that  Palsemon  has  anywhere,  in  express  terms,  denied  the 
obligation  of  the  Divine  law  with  regard  to  believers;  that 
would  have  been  too  plain  dealing;  but  I  do  not  find  that 
in  any  passage  of  his  letters  he  has  clearly  asserted  it ;"  yet  he 
cites  Palaemon  saying,  "  The  gospel  was  never  intended  to 
make  void  the  law,  in  any  respect,  yea,  it  establishes  the  law 
on  all  sides  in  the  strongest  manner."  He  cites  him  again, 
saying,  "  I  consider  the  perfect  law,  the  law  that  requires  god- 
liness and  humanity  in  perfection,  as  the  sacred  and  invariable 
rule  of  correspondence  with  God."  And  in  his  8th  article, 
which  states  a  charge  of  equal  truth  with  the  present,  he  cites 
him  saying,  "  The  obligation  of  the  law  is  eternal  so  can  never 
be  loosed."  But  what  signify  such  assertions  as  these?  they 
can  give  us  no  right  information  about  Palasmoa's  tenets ; 
for,  says  the  review,  "  We  must  not  take  an  estimate  of  his 
principles  from  any  assertions  we  find  occasionally  dropped 
in  his  letters,"  &c. — If  ever  the  old  tyrant  the  solemn  league 
should  arise  from  the  dead,  and  his  inquisitors  set  up  their 
tribunal,  we  should  find  curious  rules  established  for  convict- 
ing heretics  They  would  find  room  for  conviction,  not  only 
on  what  a  man  says,  but  also  on  what  he  says  not ;  yea,  they 
would  find  him  guilty  of  meaning  the  very  contrary  of  what 
he  says ;  for  suppose  they  could  not  find  him  guilty  of  a 
wrong  word,  they  would  hear  him  thinking  amiss. — Not- 
withstanding the  great  obscurity  of  Palaemon's  book,  the 
reviewer  frequently  finds  him  flainly  insinuating  the  re- 
verse of  his  repeated  assertions,  and  expresses  no  small  confi- 
dencet  hat  the  intelligent  unprejudiced  reader  must  easily  see 
this. 

But  the  reviewer's  account  of  Palaemon's  tenets  is  very 
harmless  and  excusable,  when  compared  with  his  treatment 
of  the  Scripture.  He  allows  not  the  persuasion  of  the  trutfi 
already  ascertained  in  the  gospel  to  be  justifying  faith,  but 
along  with  Marshall,  Hervey,  and  others,  makes  it  essential 
to  that  fliith,  that  one  believe  what  cannot  be  called  true  till 
it  be  believed.  What  indignity  is  hereby  done  to  the  great 
40* 


474  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

scope  of  all  the  Scriptures,  must  be  evident  to  those  who  hope 
to  be  saved  by  the  truth  already  certified  there.  But  then 
the  Scripture  insists  on  the  receiving  of  Christ,  and  receiving 
must  mean  more  than  persuasion,  even  accepting,  embracing, 
relying,  <Slc.  ;  be  it  so,  still  the  Apostle's  argument  is  good, 
however  the  expression  be  varied,  How  shall  they  receive 
him  on  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  The  privilege  of  sons 
is  bestowed  on  them  that  receive  Christ,  "even  them  that 
believe  on  his  name."  So  salvation  is  bestowed  on  them 
that  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  "even  them  that  believe;" 
for  the  argument  runs  thus,  "  How  then  shall  they  call  on 
him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?" 

So,  then,  they  who  advert  to  this  argument  of  the  Apostle, 
can  be  at  no  loss  to  understand  why  it  is  sometimes  said, 
"  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved  ;"  and  at  others,  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved." — 
Again,  Christ  is  said  to  be  "  the  author  of  eternal  salvation 
to  all  them  that  obey  him."  But  how  shall  they  obey  till 
they  believe?  So  Paul  again  argues,  But  they  have  not  all 
obeyed  ; — for  Esaias  saith.  Lord  who  hath  believed?  Again, 
as  men  feed  upon  a  happy  event  they  have  been  assured  of, 
by  often  calling  it  to  remembrance  ;  so  Paul,  speaking  of  his 
gospel  says,  "By  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in 
memory  what  I  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed 
in  vain."  And  he  says  of  himself,  "  The  life  which  I  now 
live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God." 
What  he  testified  to  others  about  Christ,  he  constantly  kept 
in  memory,  as  the  spring  of  his  daily  comfort,  or  as  the  food 
he  daily  fed  on,  because  he  was  well  assured  it  was  true  ;  and 
by  the  effect  it  had  on  him  he  knew,  that  "  Christ  loved  him, 
and  gave  himself  for  him." 

In  like  manner  we  way  easily  understand  all  the  expres- 
sions about  coming,  eating,  drinking,  &c. ;  for  how  shall  men 
go  to  feed  till  they  be  persuaded  where  food  is  to  be  found, 
either  by  feeling  the  savour  of  it,  or  hearing  credible  testi- 
mony ?  Now,  the  savour  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  is 
spread  abroad  by  the  apostolic  report ;  that  savour  prevents 
men,  and  they  are  led  to  resort  whither  the  savour  directs; 
for  "wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be 
gathered  together."  Now,  the  eagles  are  at  first  prevented 
either  by  the  welcome  savour  or  sight,  and  thereby  led  to  find 
the  carcass.  The  fathers  of  old  embraced  the  promises  ;  but 
how  came  this  to  pass?  "  Having  seen  them  afar  ofl^,  they 
were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them." — The  two 
passages,  Mark  ii,  23,  24,  and  James  i,  5,  6,  7,  cited  in  the 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  475 

Review,  vol.  2,  p.  27,  cannot  prove  that  the  Scripture  requires 
me,  or  any  other  person  to  believe  what  is  not  absolutely- 
true  in  itself  previous  to  our  belief,  and  whether  we  shall  be 
found  among  the  faithful  or  not ;  unless  it  shall  be  said,  that 
because  Christ  makes  promises  of  benefits  to  those  who  con- 
tinue in  the  faith,  which  shall  not  be  bestowed  on  those  who 
draw  back  ;  or  because  he  promises  seasonable  help  to  those 
disciples  who  depend  on  him  in  their  straits,  and  bids  them 
be  assured  of  receiving  it  in  their  praying  for  it,  therefore 
he  calls  us  to  believe  what  shall  not  prove  infallibly  true, 
believe  we  or  not ;  or  whether  any  of  us  who  hear  these 
words,  shall  be  found  among  the  faithful  or  the  apostates ! 
Will  this  consequence  hold  ?  Nay,  for  Paul  plainly  repels 
it,  saying,  "  If  we  deny  him,  he  will  also  deny  us ;  if  we 
believe  not,  yet  he  abideth  faithful,  he  cannot  deny  himself" 
Let  us  now  observe  what  account  of  the  gift  and  promise 
of  God  is  made  by  the  reviewer  and  his  worthies.  From 
such  texts  as  these,  John  vi,  32,  and  1  John  v,  11,  they  would 
persuade  us  that  God  hath  given  eternal  life  to  all  the  hearers 
of  the  gospel,  yet  so  as,  by  that  giving,  he  in  reality  bestows 
nothing  upon  them,  or  conveys  no  real  benefit  to  them,  since 
it  is  allowed,  that,  notwithstanding  that  giving,  they  may  yet 
perish  eternally ;  and  that  accordingly  multitudes,  to  whom 
God  is  said  to  have  given  eternal  life,  do  in  reality  perish, 
through  some  defect  in  their  receiving,  or  their  not  perform- 
ing aright  the  appropriating  act  of  faith.  And  what  a  blind 
task,  what  a  sad  labyrinth  he  enters  upon,  who  seriously 
essays  to  perform  that  act,  needs  not  now  be  told  to  those 
who  have  read  our  reviewer  and  his  worthies,  at  least  by 
Palcemon.  Now,  reader,  what  thinkest  thou  of  the  giving 
now  mentioned?  Is  it  possible  that  thy  heart  can  reverence 
the  Scriptures,  and  not  resent  such  abuse  of  them? 

These  writers  treat  the  Scriptures,  speaking  of  God's  gift 
and  promise  of  eternal  life,  suitably  enough  to  their  notion  of 
Christ's  connection  with  the  whole  human  race  by  his  birth, 
and  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the  opposers  of  particular 
redemption  do  the  universal  expressions  about  the  extent  of 
Christ's  death ;  but  if  we  are  desirous  to  hold  the  Scripture 
consistent  with  itself,  we  may  easily  observe,  that  Christ  has 
his  world,  and  that  Satan  has  his  world,  yea,  each  his  loholc 
world,  as  we  find  in  the  sf-cond  and  fifth  chapters  of  John's 
first  epistle.  So  Christ  has  his  all  men,  and  antichrist  has 
his  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  'poor,  free  and  bond. 
And  as  antichrist  has  his  all  nations,  so  Christ  has  his  nations 
of  them  that  are  saved.     Now,  to  those  who  love  the  Scrip- 


476  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

ture  account  of  God's  grace,  Christ's  peculiar  connection  with 
his  people,  in  his  birth,  death,  resurrection,  &-c.,  will  appear 
to  be  very  naturally  set  forth  in  such  expressions  as  these ; 
1.  As  to  his  birth, — "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son 
is  given, — I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people ;  for  unto  you  is  born  this  day  a  Saviour. 
Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins.  They  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel,  which 
being  interpreted,  is  God  with  us."  2.  His  death  and  resur- 
rection ;  Who  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  raised 
again  for  our  justification."  3.  Intercession;  "who  also 
maketh  intercession  for  us.  I  pray  for  them  ;  I  pray  not  for 
the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me,  for  they 
are  thine.  Neither  pray  1  for  these  (the  apostles)  alone, 
but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word." 

With  God's  gift  of  the  elect  to  his  Son  well  corresponds 
his  gift  of  his  Son  for  them  or  to  them. — "  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth,  &c. — 
He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us 
all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  !" 

The  great  blessings  conveyed  to  men  are  said  to  be  given 
both  by  the  Father  and  the  Son;  so  John  vi,  "  Labour* — for 
the  meat  which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son 
of  man  shall  give  unto  you. — My  Father  giveth  you  the  true 
bread  from  heaven. — For  the  bread  of  God  is  he  who  cometh 
down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world. — The  bread 
that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  1  will  give  for  the  life  of 
the  world."  Again,  chap,  x,  "  The  good  shepherd  giveth 
his  life  for  his  sheep. — And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and 
they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of 
my  hand."  And  chap,  xvii,  "  As  thou  hast  given  him  power 
over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as 
thou  hast  given  him. — And  the  glory  which  thou  gavcst  me, 
I  have  given  them."  So  1  John  v,  11,  "And  this  is  the 
record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life." 

These,  and  many  such  passages,  clearly  ascertain  the  pecu- 
liar and  inseparable  connection  between  Christ  and  his  people, 
in  his  incarnation,  and  all  that  follows  upon  it ;  unless,  disre- 


*  They  who  laboured  in  following  Christ,  according  to  this  text,  upon 
the  persua.sion  that  he  wa.-!  the  giver  of  eternal  life,  or  the  bread  of  life, 
were  certainly  inflnoncod  in  all  their  labour  by  faith.  So  wc  find  by 
what  follows  in  thi.s  chapter,  that  those  who  understood  him  not  in  thia 
character,  \oent  back,  and  icaUied  no  more  icith  him. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  477 

garding  the  connection  of  the  Scripture  doctrine,  we  would 
play  fast  and  loose  with  the  pronouns  you  and  us,  accordini^ 
to  our  own  fancy.  They  also  show,  that  all  to  whom  CJod 
gives  eternal  life,  are  in  reality,  by  his  giving-,  put  in  posses- 
sion of  it.  The  Scripture  affords  no  ground  for  that  equivo- 
cal notion  of  giving,  which  confers  no  benefit,  nor  serves  any 
purpose,  except  it  be  to  lay  a  foundation  for  what  is  called  the 
ministerial  offer,  and  give  some  countenance  to  the  little  self- 
seeking  views  of  many  preachers.  Paul,  speaking  of  the 
certain  salvation  of  all  the  true  Israel,  adds,  "For  the  gifts 
and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance,"  so  can  never 
prove  ineffectual,  through  any  defect  in  the  hearer  or  receiver, 
because  the  unchangeable  God,  who  gives  and  calls,  will  not 
repent. 

This  leads  us  to  think  of  God's  promise  and  call ;  see  Act.s 
ii,  37 — 39.  Peter  seeing  God's  power  leading  many  to 
repentance  by  the  truth  he  had  testified,  encourages  them  to 
proceed,  as  he  saw  Gcd  leading  them,  thus,  "  Repent,  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  For  the  promise*  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children, 
and  to  all  that  are  afar  off^  even  as  many" — as  any  preacher 
shall  call?  nay, — "but  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 
Who  these  are,  Paul  tells  us,  Rom.  ix,  24,  when  speaking  of 
"  the  vessels  of  mercy  afore  prepared  unto  glory,"  he  adds, 
"Even  us  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but 
also  of  the  Gentiles."  And  Rom.  viii,  30,  he  says,  "Whom 
he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called,  justified,  and  glori- 
fied."    If  it  be  said  that  many  appear  to  be  saints  and  faithful, 

*  Even  the  promise  of  the  gift  he  had  just  now  mentioned,  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  God  is  said  to  give  to  behevers,  Acts  xi,  17, 
or  to  them  that  obey  him,  Acts  v,  32,  even  the  same  gift  which  Christ 
promised,  John  v,  39,  that  believers  should  receive,  as  the  Old  Tes- 
tament Scripture,  to  which  he  refers,  had  foretold.  Accordingly  we 
find  it  was  written  in  Isaiah,  chap,  xliv,  '•  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy 
seed,  and  my  blessing  on  thine  oifspring;"  the  consequence  of  which 
is  said  to  be,  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's,"  &c.,  even  as  in  the  close 
of  the  next  chapter,  the  redeemed  church,  every  tongue,  or  all  the  seed 
of  Israel,  are  represented  as  saying  at  last,  "  In  the  Lord  have  I  righte- 
ousness and  strength,"  there  being  no  foundation  in  the  text  or  context 
for  the  supplement  one  before  the  words  shall  say. — The  bles.sing 
mentioned  by  Isaiah,  chap,  xliv,  is  the  same  that  is  spoken  of  in  Acts  iii, 
26,  which  is  conveyed  thus,  "  Unto  you  first,  God.  having  raised  up  hi.s 
Son  Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you 
from  his  iniquities,"  or  as  our  critics  of  first  repute  warrant  us  to  render 
the  last  words,  tw,  or  upon,  each  of  you  turning  aicay  from  Ins  iniquities. 
Let  the  reader  choose  which  of  tiie  two  he  finds  most  convenient. 


478  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling,  who  yet  fall  away ;  so  like- 
wise it  may  be  said,  that  the  promise  seems  to  belong  to  many 
who  yet  come  short  of  it.  But  still  it  must  be  said,  that  the 
promise  is  only  "unto  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
call ;"  and  none  can  appear  to  us  to  be  the  called  of  God,  but 
such  as  appear  to  believe  the  gospel  Peter  preached,  and  to 
comply  with  his  exhortation  to  repentance. — Those  who  have 
read  the  reviewer's  10th  and  14th  articles,  may  see  how 
widely  this  doctrine  difiers  from  his,  and  it  concerns  them  as 
much  as  the  disputants  to  judge  which  of  the  two  agrees  best 
with  the  Scripture. 

The  promise  of  the  earthly  inheritance  to  the  nation  of 
Israel,  and  the  faith  answering  to  that  promise,  are  figures 
of  the  spiritual  promise,  and  the  faith  answering  to  it.  But 
this  subject  is  fully  handled  in  Glas's  works,  vol.  3,  p.  402- 
406.  Those  who  read  the  passage  now  referred  to,  and 
what  our  reviewer  says  upon  the  same  subject  in  his  10th 
article,  may  judge  for  themselves.  Meantime  it  is  needless 
to  enlarge  farther  on  that  subject  till  the  passage  referred  to 
be  answered. 

As  to  general  calls  or  invitations  with  promises  annexed, 
such  as,  "  Come  unto  me, — and  I  will  give  you  rest ;"  it 
may  suffice  to  say,  that  all  who  are  led  to  understand  who  it 
is  that  calls  and  invites,  and  how  well  it  becomes  him  to  say, 
"  I  that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save,"  are  so  taught 
of  the  Father;  they  are  his  called  and  chosen,  to  whom  the 
promise  belongs.*    And  none  but  those  who  understand  who 

*  Accordingly  we  read,  Isa.  lii,  6,  "  Therefore  my  people  shall  know 
my  name  :  therefore  they  shall  know  in  that  day  that  I  am  he  that  doth 
speak ;  behold,  it  is  I."  And  chap,  liv,  13,  "  All  thy  children  shall  be 
taught  of  the  Lord,  and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children."  And 
Psal.  ix,  10,  "  They  that  know  thy  name,  will  put  their  tnist  in  thee ;  for 

thou,  Lord,  hast  not  forsaken  them  that  seek  thee." Tf  any  preacher, 

by  means  of  the  Scripture,  shall  lead  his  hearers  to  understand  the  cha- 
racter of  him  who  speaks  there,  addressing  the  consciences  of  all  sorts 
of  men,  then  such  hearers  may  be  said  to  be  the  called  of  God  by  that 
preacher's  ministry :  for  such  hearers  have  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father, 
and  they  have  learned  to  distinguish  the  voice  of  the  true  Shepherd 
from  that  of  all  strangers,  and  they  miderstand  the  propriety  of  these 
words,  "  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 

whom  thou  hast  sent." But  what  shall  we  hearers  think  of  a  sinful 

mortal  like  ourselves,  having  no  new  message  from  heaven,  nor  any 
pretence  to  inspiration,  yet  standing  up  with  great  assurance,  endea- 
vouring to  possess  our  minds  with  a  high  notion  of  his  own  dignity  and 
importance,  and  accordingly  lifting  up  his  voice,  saying,  I  call,  I  offer,  I 
invite  ;  you  may  never  get  such  a  good  offer  again  ;  up,  therefore,  and 
be  doing ;  Divine  power  is  at  hand  to  assist  you  ;  I  have  a  message  from 
heaven  to  you,  and  wo  to  the  man  who  hearkens  not  to  me ;  for  by 
slighting  me  and  my  message,  he  slights  his  Maker ! 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  479 

it  is  that  calleth,  will  ever  understand  what  it  means  to  come, 
or  to  ichom,  or  yet  have  a  proper  relish  foi*  the  rest  promised 
to  those  who  come.  So  before  it  be  disputed  whether  there 
be  any  blessings  promised  to  unbelievers  to  encourage  them 
to  come  to  Christ,  it  may  be  proper,  first  to  inquire,  whether 
an  unbeliever  can  have  a  relish  for  the  blessings  Christ 
promises  ;  for  unless  this  point  be  first  cleared,  it  is  not  mani- 
fest how  they  can  bear  the  aspect  of  encouragements  to  him. 
But  the  common  doctrine  about  equivocal  gifts,  promises, 
offers,  calls,  and  invitations,  however  insignificant  or  preju- 
dicial to  the  hearer,  is  very  convenient  for  the  preacher  or 
ambassador,  who  will  not  therefore  easily  part  with  that  doc- 
trine. The  reviewer's  account  of  this  subject  may  be  seen  in 
his  9th  article. 

The  reviewer*  corrects  Palaemon  for  ascribing  our  impo- 
tency  to  do  good  to  our  aversion  to  it,  and  our  readiness  to 
do  evil  to  our  love  of  it,  in  this  manner :  "  The  Apostle 
Paul  would  have  taught  him  another  lesson  ;  for,  says  that 
inspired  writer,  "  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how  to 
perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not."  Paul's  next  words 
are,  "  For  the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not ;  but  the  evil 
which  I  would  not,  that  I  do."  And  James  says,  "  Every 
man  is  tempted  {with  evil)  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his 
own  lust  and  enticed."  Therefore,  before  Palsemon  re- 
ceive a  new  lesson,  he  must  first  be  taught  how  to  recon- 
cile Paul  and  James,  and  not  only  so,  but  Paul  with  himself: 
for  Paul  says.  Gal.  v,  17,  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh,  and  these  are  contrary 
the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye 
would."  And  he  says  of  himself,  Rom.  vii,  25,  "  So  then 
with  the  mind,  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the 
flesh  the  law  of  sin."  If  the  one  side  of  the  contrast,  by  the 
word  lust,  intends  to  signify  any  notion  of  love,  desn-e,  or 
inclination,  so  must  the  other ;  and  it  may  well  be  asked, 
how  can  a  man  have  any  conviction  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  if  it 
be  done  in  no  sense  by  his  will?  If  the  reviewer's  devoutest 
readers  shall  receive  this  new  lesson,  then  they  will  have  an 
additional  defence  against  the  conviction  of  sin,  at  least  of 
any  sin  exposing  them  to  wrath,  or  needing  remission  by  the 
atonement:  for  no  sin  that  men  commit  need  remission  by 
Christ's  blood,  but  such  as  make  the  guilty  obnoxious  to  the 
wrath  to  come.  We  may  call  this  lesson  new,  not  only  as 
unknown  to  Paul  and  James,  but  also  to  our  modern  Henry, 

*  Review,  vol.  2,  p.  257. 


480  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

and  other  commentators  of  repute  for  orthodoxy,  though  our 
reviewer  triumphs  not  a  little  upon  it. 

As  the  reviewer  is  no  less  displeased  with  Palaemon's 
doctrine  about  works,  than  with  his  doctrine  about  faith,  he 
accordingly  censures  him*  as  taking  part  with  Papists,  be- 
cause he  frequently   utters  such  assertions  as  these :   "  No 
man  can  enjoy  that  life  which  lies  in  God's  favour  farther 
than  he  loves  God,  and  keeps  his  commandments ;  no  man 
can  be  assured  that  his  sins  are  forgiven  him,  but  in  as  far 
as  he  is  freed  from  the  service  of  sin,   and  led  to  work  righ- 
teousness."    Palaemon  had  used  that  noted  text,  Heb.  vi,  II, 
"And  we  desire  that  every  one  of  you  do  show  the  same  di- 
ligence {in  the  work  and  labour  of  love)  to  the  full  assurance 
of  hope  unto  the  end."     The  reviewer  having  done  his  best 
to  accommodate  these  words  to  his  doctrine  of  assurance  by 
the  appropriation,  is  still  sensible  that  they  convey  an  un- 
happy sound  for  him :  so  he  ventures  to  offer  an  amendment 
of  the  translation,  which,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  is  altogether 
new ;  for  though  I  have  looked  into  Poole's  Synopsis,  and 
Wolf's  Curce,  I  cannot  find  that  ever  it  entered  the  mind  of 
any  critic  before.     Our  critic,  however,  finding  the  Greek 
preposition  for  to,  in  some  other  phrases  rendered  with,  and 
according  to,  proposes  to  read  our  text  thus,  ivifh,  or  accord- 
ing to,  the  full  assurance  of  hope.     His  intelligent  reader 
may  judge  of  this  amendment  at  his  leisure.    But  Palaemon's 
simple  reader  would  do   well  not  to  pay  much  regard  to  it, 
till  he  be  able  to  show  it  to  be  as  suitable  to  the  context  as 
the  present  version  is,  and  till  he  get  many  other  texts  like- 
wise amended,  such  as  2  Pet.  i,  10,  "  Give  all  diligence  to 
make  your  callinsf  and  election  sure  ;  for  if  ye  do  these  things, 
ye  shall  never  fall."      1  John  ii,  4,   "  He  that  saith,  I  know 
him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the 
truth  is  not  in  him."     Chap,   iii,  14,  "We  know  that  we 
have   passed   from    death   unto   life,   because   we   love  the 
brethren :  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother,  abideth  in  death." 
By  what  temper  and  conduct  the  first  believers  made  their 
calhng  sure,  is  plainly  enough  described  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment; but  what  shall  we  think  of  that  assurance  of  Divine 
favour  which  is  acquired  at  first  by  an  appropriating  act,  and 
retained  tenaciously  to  the  last,  by  one  who   is  all  the  while 
walking  after  the  spirit  of  the  solemn  league  and  covenant! 
and  whit  strange  notions  must  one  have  of  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  imagines  it  coincides  with  the  spirit  of 

*  Review,  vol.  2,  p.  185. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  481 

the  solemn  leag-uc !  and  who  accordingly  prays,  that  the 
purposes  of  the  latter  may  be  promoted  by  a  plentiful  effusion 
of  the  former  !  Say,  my  simple  readers,  is  this  the  true  Pro- 
testant doctrine  that  we  ought  to  hold  fast  as  our  preservative 
against  the  errors  and  spirit  of  Popery? 

Before  we  have  done  with  the  review,  it  may  be  proper  to 
lake  some  notice  of  one  important  topic,  as  to  which  it  highly 
concerns  the  reader  to  be  upon  his  guard. 

Palcemon  is  charged  with  laying  a  foundation  for  idolatry 
by  his  doctrine  about  worshiping  Him  who  is  with  pro- 
priety called  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  and  whom  Paloemon, 
after  the  apostles,  constantly  maintains  to  be  no  other  than  a 
Divine  person,  and  the  Image  of  the  invisible  God,  even  the 
person  respected  by  the  heavenly  proclamation,  "  Let  all  the 
angels  of  God  worship  Him."  The  Jews  said,  John  x,  33, 
"  For  a  good  work  we  stone  thee  not  ]  but  for  blasphemy, 
and  because  that  thou,  being  a  INIan,  makest  Thyself  God.'* 
That  the  man  Jesus  made  this  account  of  himself,  was  not. 
disputed,  but  only  how  justly.  The  Jews  charged  this  ac- 
count with  blasphemy.  If  the  reviewer  can  find  means  to 
justify  this  accusation,  the  same  means  will  serve  him  for 
condemning  Palcemon,  who  at  present  cannot  see  how  his 
doctrine  on  this  head  is  affected  by  anything  advanced  in  the 
review,  unless  it  be  meant  in  support  of  the  Jewish  accusa- 
tion, or  to  convict  the  apostle  Paul  of  impropriety  in  calling 
Christ  the  image  of  the  inrlsible  God. 

As  the  reviewer  is  not  the  only  person  who  opposes  Pa- 
la3mon's  doctrine  on  this  head,  I  shall  lay  before  the  reader 
an  extract  of  a  letter  sent  me  on  the  subject,  dated  May  10, 
1762. 

"  Romaine,  exclaiming  from  his  pulpit  against  the  worship 
of  a  glorified  man  displaying  every  Divine  perfection,  acts 
very  consistently  with  his  believing  that  man  to  be  a  human 
person,  so  united  with  the  Son  of  God,  as  to  be  disjoined  and 
separated  from  him,  and  left  to  suffer  death  by  himself  for 
the  sins  of  men,  when  he  said,  My  God,  vshij  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?  The  worship  of  that  man's  person  must  be 
creature-worship  and  idolatry  in  his  account ;  and  he  can 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  when  he 
would  worship  what  he  calls  the  Son  of  God  in  his  revealed 
emblem,  the  light  of  this  world,  wherein  he  is  no  more  visible 
to  him  than  the  Father  is  in  the  fire.  To  him,  therefore,  all 
who  bt.'lieve  the  Son  of  God  to  be  the  very  person  of  that 
glorified  man,  and  so  worship  that  man's  person,  are  infidels, 
('lisbelievers  of  Hutchinson's  Hebrew  revelation,)  and  crea- 
41 


482  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

ture  worshipers;  and  it  behooved  him  to  show  his  Hut- 
chinsonian  zeal  against  them. 

"  But  it  is  not  so  easy  to  reconcile  what  Wilson,  the  sece- 
der,  writes  on  this  subject  with  his  creed.  He  believes,  that 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  became  man,  taking  to  himself  a  true 
body  and  reasonable  soul,  and  that  he  is  both  God  and  man, 
in  two  distinct  natures  and  one  person,  forever.  This  he 
maintains  against  all  heresy  about  the  person  and  natures  of 
Christ;  and  so  it  is  his  creed,  that  this  body  and  soul,  which 
the  Son  of  God  took  to  himself,  is  no  other  person  but  that 
Divine  one.  What,  then,  should  make  him  exclaim  so  against 
the  worship  of  that  man  ?  or  what  could  move  him  to  charge 
the  presenting  of  the  true  object  of  worship  to  him  in  that 
man  with  no  less  than  a  denial  of  the  Divinity  of  his  person  ? 

"  In  his  education  he  had  learned  something  about  this 
question,  A?i  Ckrislus  qua  mediator  sit  colendus  ?*  agitated 
among  the  orthodox,  and  had  been  taught  that  the  most  ortho- 
dox denied  that  Christ  should  be  worshiped  as  Mediator,  ot 
as  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  ;  for  as  such  he  was  but  a  crea- 
ture, and  should  only  be  worshiped  as  God,  abstractly  from 
his  manhood  and  Mediatorship,  though  therein  he  appears 
and  acts  as  both  God  and  man,  in  two  distinct  natures  and  one 
Divine  person.  Thus,  by  his  school-divinity,  he  has  learned  to 
know,  that,  in  worshiping,  he  must  carefully  abstract  the 
Divinity  of  Christ's  person  from  his  human  nature,  and  from 
his  office,  so  as  to  have  no  idea  of  him  as  man,  or  as  repre- 
senting either  his  Father  to  us  or  us  to  him. 

*'  What  knows  he,  then,  for  the  object  of  his  worship  ?  what 
thinks  he  of,  or  toward  what  are  his  prayers  and  praises 
directed?  Has  he  no  idea  of  what  he  worships'?  Why, he 
sets  his  mind  upon  a  very  abstract  idea  he  supposes  he  has 
of  an  infinite,  eternal,  immutable,  and  immaterial  substance, 
which  he  calls  a  spirit.  In  this  pure  object  of  his  worship 
he  beholds  the  Son  of  God,  not  as  the  person  of  the  man  Je- 
sus ;  and  his  Father,  not  as  manifested  in  him  ;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  not  as  dwelling  in  him,  and  from  him  animating  his 
body  the  church;  and  from  this  immaterial  substance  he 
seeks  a  spirit  to  prepare  him  for  conversion  and  faith,  and  so 
make  him  fitter  for  acceptance  than  other  men,  by  convincing 
him  of  the  sin  of  unbelief  before  he  be  persuaded  to  believe; 
a  spirit  that  may  persuade  him  to  believe  what  is  not  true 
till  he  believe  it,  and  assure  him  in  the  hope  of  salvation, 
without  any  work  of  faith  or  labour  of  love.     This  is  his 

•  Id  Christ,  as  mediator,  to  be  worshiped  I 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  483 

God,  with  Avhom  he  has  thus  to  do,  who  forbids  us  to  worship 
toward  the  glorified  man  displaying  every  Divine  perfection." 
About  the  end  of  May,  1761,  was  published  in  Edinburgh, 
a  small  pamphlet,  called  Nt/fuphas  to  Sosipatcr,  containing, 
after  a  short  introduction  by  Sosipater,  extracts  of  nine  letters 
wrote  by  Nymphas,  remarking  on  the  Letters  on  Theron  and 
Aspasio.  Having  mentioned  the  author  of  the  last  mentioned 
letters,  Nymphas  says  in  his  second  sentence,  "  I  think  1 
don't  understand  him  sufficiently,  nor  know  exactly  wherein 
we  difler."  This  may  serve  as  an  apology  for  Palsemon  in 
declining  the  trouble  of  particular  animadversions  on  his 
remarks,  though  it  be  sufficiently  evident,  that  he  under- 
stands as  much  as  to  dislike  it.  As  the  introduction  claims 
some  attention,  I  shall  transcribe  it.  "  Sosipater  publishes 
the  following  extracts  from  nine  letters  without  the  consent 
of  Nymphas  who  wrote  them.  To  those  who  shall  read 
them  with  a  candid  desire  to  know  what  is  truth,  he  persuades 
himself  no  apology  will  be  necessary ;  sober  reasoning  will 
be  acceptable  to  such,  though  it  wants  that  polish  which  the 
pen  of  Nymphas  would  undoubtedly  have  given  it,  had  he 
designed  it  for  public  view.  A  moral  certainty  that  Nym- 
phas cannot  be  hurt,  and  a  probable  prospect  that  many  may 
reap  benefit  from  the  publication,  is  all  the  apology  he  can 
make  to  his  friend.  He  would  not,  hoAvever,  be  understood 
to  adopt  every  sentiment  in  these  remarks.  An  assent  to  the 
jgospel,  flowing  from  spiritual  discoveries  of  its  Divine  glory, 
is,  in  Sosipater's  opinion,  the  whole  of  what  the  Scripture 
means  by  saving  faith :  and  the  trust,  of  which  Nymphas 
speaks  in  the  third  letter,  in  so  far  as  it  contains  anything  dif- 
ferent from  assent,  is  not  faith  but  a  fruit  of  it.  But  as  he 
intends,  when  he  can  commend  leisure,  to  venture  abroad  his 
thoughts  on  that  subject,  he  chooses  at  this  time  to  say  no 
more  of  it." 

As  Sosipater  is  supposed  to  be  a  minister  of  some  note  in 
the  church  of  Scotland,  1  should  be  glad,  on  account  of  the 
hint  now  given,  how  soon  he  could  find  leisure  to  publish 
his  thoughts  on  this  important  subject.  I  would  fain  hope 
he  will  not  keep  us  so  long  in  expectation  as  Mr.  Wither- 
spoon  has  done,  who,  in  his  Essay  on  Justification,  first  pub- 
lished half  a  dozen  years  ago,  near  the  close  of  his  prefatory 
letter  to  Mr.  Hervey,  says,  "  The  greatest  part  of  what  fol- 
lows w-as  first  delivered  in  two  sermons;  but  it  is  now  throw^n 
into  the  form  of  an  Essay,  lest  the  despised  title  of  a  sermon 
.should  offend  some,  and  that  it  might  the  better  admit  of  seve- 
ral additions,  both  in  the  body  of  the  piece  and  in  the  notes, 


484  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

■which  could  not  have  been  properly  delivered  from  a  pulpit. 
Some  of  these  regard  the  philosophical  principles  which  have 
of  late  been  published  among-  us ;  of  which  I  propose,  in 
a  short  time,  a  much  fuller  discussion,  as  there  is  no  way  in 
Avhich  the  truths  of  the  gospel  are  more  perverted  than  by 
what  the  apostle  calls  fhilo^wphy  and  vain  deceit,  and  oppo- 
sitions of  science  fahely  so  called.^^ 

As  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  when  men  of  character 
endeavour  to  awaken  the  expectation  of  the  public,  they  have, 
then,  some  prospect  of  gratifying  it  in  a  short  time,  I  would 
fain  hope  that  Sosipater  will  entertain  a  shorter  idea  of  a 
short  time  than  Mr.  Witherspoon  has  done.  However,  as  it 
is  proper  to  give  a  good  measure  of  time  to  the  consideration 
of  an  important  subject,  we  have  reason  at  least  to  say,  that 
the  more  time  is  allowed,  the  more  ample  and  accurate  dis- 
cussion of  the  subject  may  be  expected,  especially  while  it 
cannot  be  said  that  the  subject  is  of  a  nature  foreign  to  their 
daily  studies.  While  one  labours  to  illustrate  the  truth  of 
the  gospel,  hy  exposing  the  sophistry  of  philosophical  objec- 
tors, the  other  will  be  employed  in  showing  how  properly 
the  truth,  which  we  call  the  gospel,  answers  to  its  designa- 
tion, and  proves  in  reality  to  be  good  tidings  of  great  joy  to 
all  people  who  are  favoured  with  the  knowledge  of  it,  in 
opposition  to  all  those  preachers  who  darken  the  joyful 
aspect  of  the  saving  truth,  by  the  gloomy  task  they  propose 
to  the  hearer,  as  necessary  to  make  the  truth  become  gospel 
to  him.  And  thus  the  labours  of  both  our  expected  writers 
will  happily  coincide. 

As  Paul  is  allowed  to  be  an  authentic  teacher,  and  well-ex- 
perienced pattern  in  this  kind  of  labour,  and  as  many  mistakes 
have  arisen  through  inattention  to  his  great  ministerial  charge, 
it  can  be  no  loss  to  our  writers  to  be  reminded  of  that  charge, 
as  a  proper  pole-star  to  direct  them  in  their  studies,  by  one  who 
wishes  their  labours  may  be  both  unexceptionble  and  success- 
ful. 

Paul,  speaking  of  the  gospel  revelation,  which  he  emphat- 
ically calls  the  commandment,  and  which  he  is  very  anxious 
that  Timothy  should  preserve  in  its  greatest  purity,  says,  "  I 
give  the  charge  in  sight  of  God,  who  quickeneth  all  things, 
and  before  Jesus  Christ,  who  before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed 
a  good  confession  :  that  thou  keep  the  commandment  without 
spot,  unrebukeable,  until  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  The  good  confession,  to  which  all  Christian  teach- 
ers are  strictly  bound  to  give  heed,  as  they  shall  be  answera- 
ble at  Christ's  appearing,  is  recorded  in  John  xviii,  30,  37. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  485 

"Jesus  answered,  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  To 
this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world, 
tliat  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Every  one  that 
is  of  the  truth,  heareth  my  voice." 

By  the  stress  Paul  lays  on  this  good  confession,  and  the 
solemn  charge  he  gives  every  Christian  teacher  in  regard  to 
it,  it  plainly  appears  that  he  no  longer  expected  the  gospel  to 
be  preserved  in  its  purity  than  while  sincere  regard  was 
paid  to  this  good  confession.  And  he  seems  to  take  pleasure 
in  calling  it  a  good  confession,  as  foreseeing  how  universally 
it  would  be  set  at  nought  by  Christian  teachers.  In  how- 
many  respects  Christianity  has  been  corrupted  among  its 
professors,  and  exposed  to  the  reproach  of  its  avowed  ene- 
mies, by  the  discarding  of  this  good  confession,  needs  not  be 
enlarged  on  at  present;  but  one  may  see  at  first  glance, 
what  a  capital  grievance  it  would  be  to  the  clergy  if  they  had 
none  to  support  them,  and  none  to  submit  to  them,  but  those 
^vho  are  of  the  truth,  and  accordingly  hear  Christ's  voice ; 
therefore,  it  nearly  concerns  them  to  devise  such  a  scheme 
for  gospel  as  may  maintain  their  credit  and  influence  among 
numbers  who  are  strangers  to  the  Divine  evidence  of  the 
truth  :  and,  then,  it  is  easy  for  them  to  persuade  themselves, 
that  the  credit  of  the  gospel  is  inseparably  connected  with 
that  of  gospel  ministers.  It  must,  therefore,  be  very  hard 
for  a  popular  parish  minister  to  understand  what  it  means  to 
preach  Paul's  gospel ;  for  take  every  thing  from  him  but 
that,  and  he  must  be  greatly  perplexed  in  what  manner  to 
address  his  people,  unless  he  should  become  resolute,  and, 
taking  Paul's  advice,  become  a  partaker  of  the  afflictions  of 
the  gospel. 

But  such  ministers  find,  that  numbers  who  cannot  see  the 
free  mercy  revealed  in  the  saving  truth,  may  yet  be  sensible 
of  the  Divine  favour  displayed  in  sending  them  a  zealous 
minister,  to  furnish  them  with  good  means  and  rules,  in  the 
diligent  use  of  which  they  may  yet  hope  to  become  a  good 
and  happy  people ;  and  though  they  cannot  value  the  Bible 
for  the  good  tidings  it  brings  to  the  utterly  undeserving,  yet 
they  may  value  it  as  the  minister's  text-book,  or  as  a  sacred 
collection  of  such  good  means  and  rules,  as,  under  the  minis- 
ter's direction,  may  be  of  the  highest  service  to  them.  The 
Jewish  multitude  were  once  struck  with  an  apprehension  that 
Jesus  was  their  expected  prophet,  and  were  accordingly  dis- 
posed to  depend  on  him  as  their  director  and  assistant,  in  using 
the  means  by  which  they  might  become  both  good  and  happy  ; 
but  Jesus  scorning  the  great  object  of  the  clergy's  attention, 
41* 


486  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION 

or  to  have  a  retinue  of  followevs  not  drawn  or  taug-ht  of  the 
Father,  soon  explained  himself  in  such  a  irranner,  as  that  even 
•'many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with 
him,"  John  vi. — Hence  wemay  find  the  reason  why  Nymphas 
does  not  understand  Pala^mon's  doctrine  sufficiently,  while 
yet  he  seems  to  have  a  strong  suspicion  that  truth  stands  on 
that  side:*  for,  in  his  last  letter,  where  he  gives  us  the  sub- 
stance of  a  sermon  on  the  use  of  means,  he  says,  "1.  It  is 
infinitely  gracious  and  kind  in  the  offended  and  abused 
Majesty  of  heaven,  to  come  out  after  his  rebellious  creatures, 
and  use  means  to  reclaim  them.  2.  God's  using  means  with 
us,  as  he  does,  obliges  us  to  use  means  ourselves ;  nay,  the 
very  means  that  God  uses  are  of  such  a  nature  as  calls  for 
activity  on  our  part.  Nay,  farther,  the  external  means  God 
uses  can  be  of  no  use  without  our  activity.  Does  he  put  the 
Bible  in  our  hands  ?  it  will  be  to  no  purpose  if  we  never  read 
it.  Does  he  send  preachers?  it  w^ill  profit  us  nothing  if  we 
will  not  go  to  hear  them.'' 

Mr.  Spearman,  in  his  letters  concerning  the  Septuagint  trans- 
lation, p.  46,  has  been  pleased  to  recommend  to  Palsemon's 
serious  consideration  a  passage  cited  from  Dr.  Stukely's  Pa/ao- 
to  government,  and  reciprocally  requiring  the  protection  of 
graphia  Sacra,  setting  forth  Christianity  as  the  truest  support 
to  government.  Pala^mon  has  considered  the  passage,  but  can- 
not admit  the  instruction  offered,  till  he  see  how  it  can  be 
reconciled  with  the  good  confession  Jesus  made  before  the 
Roman  governor.  He  would,  therefore,  in  return,  with  all 
due  respect,  recommend  that  good  confession  to  the  serious 
consideration  of  his  discreet  monitor,  who,  if  he  inclines  to 
see  that  confession  illustrated  by  its  connections  with  many 
other  passages  of  Scripture,  may  peruse  a  treatise  called  T/ie 
Testimony  of  ihe  King  of  Ma,rti/rs,  &c.,  lately  published  in 
Glas's  works,  vol.  1. 

As  Palirmon  hath  received  great  pleasure  by  Dr.  Camp- 


*  His  strong  .suspicion  may  appear  from  the  first  paragraph  of  his 
pecond  letter,  where,  speaking  of  Pahtmon's  design,  he  says,  "  IJis 
grand  design  is  to  bring  men  oft"  from  self-dependence  to  an  entire 
dependence  on  the  naked  hare  truth,  i.  r.  on  Christ  and  Wee  grace,  a.s 
held  forth  to  view  in  the  gospol.  A  good  design !  but  nnlsappily,  he 
had  not  taken  the  best  metliod  to  accomplish  it."  That  is,  if  t!ie  reader 
will  allow  Palrmon  a  word  of  explication.  What  an  unhappy  case  i.s  it, 
that  so  good  a  design  could  not  be  pursued,  saving  the  credit  of  the 
clergy!  or.  How  unhappy  is  it  that  the  New  Testament  cannot  be  so 
explained  as  to  make  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  that  of  the  clergy  to 
coincide  ! 


APPKXDIX  TO  THE  TIIIKI)   EDITION.  487 

bell's  late  excellent  dissertation  on  miracles,  ami  as  all  the 
g"ospel  miracles  were  brought  to  illustrate  and  confirm 
Christ's  good  confession,  he  apprehends  he  cannot  better  show 
his  gratitude  than  by  expressing  his  earnest  wish  that  the 
good  confession  may  likewise  draw  the  serious  attention  of 
the  respectable  author  of  the  dissertation.  If  that  author,  who 
is  so  able  to  persuade  that  his  every  p^ge  carries  conviction 
along  with  it,  could  be  so  happy  as  to  persuade  a  few  of  his 
neighbours  to  enter  along  with  him  into  the  spirit  of  the  good 
confession,  to  love  one  another  on  that  bond  of  union,  and,  like 
the  first  Christians,  boldly  become  partakers  of  the  afflictions 
of  the  gospel,  what  a  serious,  what  a  weighty  force  would 
such  an  event  give  to  the  arguments  already  so  well  urged 
in  the  excellent  dissertation? — Cardinal  deRetz  had  reported 
a  miracle  said  to  have  been  wrought  at  Saragossa,  Avhich  yet 
he  himself  appears  not  to  believe.  On  this  case  our  author 
has  a  very  manifest  and  easy  advantage  against  his  opponent, 
who  had  urged  the  Cardinal's  disbelief  as  adding  mightily  to 
the  force  of  the  evidence  for  the  miracle. — By  tlie  event  now 
wished  for,  our  author  would  stand  clear  of  all  suspicion  of  his 
own  belief,*  and  clear  of  all  hazard  of  having  his  own  solid 
reasoning  retorted  on  himself — It  is  true,  such  an  event  would 
partake  much  of  the  nature  of  a  miracle;  3'et  I  cannot  think 
it  could,  with  any  propriety,  expose  him  to  the  ridicule  insinu- 
ated in  the  poor  sarcasm  of  his  opponent,  who  alleges  that  the 
Christian  religion,  even  at  this  day,  cannot  be  believed  by  any 
reasonable  person  without  a  miracle  ;  I  rather  think  it  would 
have  a  natural  tendency  to  occasion  more  serious  reflection  to 
his  opponent  than  even  the  very  pertinent  remarks  by  which 
he  has  already  obviated  the  sarcasm  now  mentioned. 

One  thing  is  evident,  that  God  hath  chosen  at  all  times  to 
address  the  consciences  of  men  by  striking  facts  as  well  as 
arguments.     The  apostles  preached,  and  their  lives  were  a 

*  The  reader  miy  perceive,  that  the  mention  of  the  Cardinal  i.s  not 
made  to  suggest  a  ridicidons  parallel  a.«  to  the  belief  of  bare  detached 
fncLs,  but  to  enforce  a  grave  relleetion  about  ihe  connection  and  import 
of  the  gospel-miracles,  or  the  doctrine  .supported  by  tl.em. — Bii^hop 
lloadlv  \v;ls  a  serious  defender  of  the  Chri.stian  religicn  in  his  u  ay.  and 
and  even  bestowed  no  small  attentioji  on  the  good  confession.  w;irmly 
maintaining  as  much  of  it  as  pleased  the  court,  promoted  his  woildly 
interest,  and  secured  his  reputation  among  nvn)ibers  who  were  .>t  angers 
to  the  grace  of  the  gospel ;  biU  what  Christian  would  say,  that  he  under- 
stood or  loved  the  good  confession  in  the  same  sense  as  Paul  and 
Timothy  did  ? — It  is  hoped  our  author  understands  mere  about  the 
gospel  than  tlie  bishop  did,  and  therefore  it  may  the  rather  be  presumed 
that  he  will  not  think  the  liiut  above  suggested  altogether  imperlineDt. 


488  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

chain  of  facts  enforcing-  what  they  said.  Our  author  knows 
well  how  to  illustrate  the  evidence  arising  from  this  connec- 
tion. Moreover,  as  we  find  the  apostles  adducing  the  influ- 
ence of  the  gospel  on  those  who  believed,  as  an  evidence  of 
its  truth,  so  we  find  them  on  all  occasions  ascribing  that  influ- 
ence to  the  special  interposition  of  God,  though  they  were 
well  persuaded  at  the  same  time,  that  the  evidence  of  their 
gospel  could  not  be  resisted  but  by  men  unreasonable  as  well 
as  wicked. 

Paul  observes  with  pleasure,  that  the  testimonj/  of  Christ 
was  confLTmed  in  the  believing  Corinthians,  even  as  he  calls 
them  in  the  same  view  Christ's  Epistle,  wrote  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  plainly  to  discover  the  finger  of  God  in  the  writing. 
And  with  fervent  thanksgiving  he  ascribes  it  wholly  to  God, 
that  his  gospel  was  understood  by  the  Thessalonians  to  be 
God's  word,  and  that  it  had  its  proper  effect  on  them,  expos- 
ing them  to  the  same  injurious  treatment  from  their  country- 
men as  the  first  believers  in  Judea  were  exposed  to  from  theirs. 
The  same  apostle,  reminding  Timothy  of  the  treatment  he 
met  with  from  the  world,  assures  him,  that  all  who  would  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  should  meet  with  the  like,  while  he 
forewarns  him  of  evil  men  and  seducers,  Avho  should  wax 
worse  and  worse,  deceiving,  and  being  deceived.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  likewise,  that  Paul,  summing  up  the  proofs  of  his 
apostleship,  signs,  wonders,  and  mighty  deeds,  put  on  the  front 
of  them  h\s  patience,  2  Cor.  xii,  12. 

Nor  should  it  appear  strange,  that  the  evidence  of  the  gos- 
pel should  be  supported  in  a  constant  way  by  something 
partaking  of  the  nature  of  miracles,  seeing  the  Scripture 
assures  us,  that  the  hard  speeches  of  unbelievers  will  be  at 
last  effectually  confuted  by  the  most  astonishing  miracle  of 
all.  These  reflections  would  open  a  wide  field ;  but  why 
should  I  enlarge?  If  our  author  can  but  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  Christ's  good  confession,  he  will  soon  perceive  what  a 
light  it  throws  on  all  the  Scriptures,  and  how  advantageous 
the  maintaining  of  it  is  for  enforcing  the  evidence  of  the 
gospel  on  the  consciences  of  men.  And  what  may  give  us 
some  hope  in  this  regard,  is,  that  he  has  already,  p.  116, 
given  us  a  just  and  fair  account  of  the  apostolic  tenets  so  far 
as  he  has  gone. — The  natural  desire  one  has,  that  an  argu- 
ment of  such  importance,  already  conducted  so  happily  to 
such  a  length,  may  be  carried  to  perfection,  by  receiving 
every  advantage  it  is  capable  of,  may  serve  as  an  apology 
for  these  few  hints  in  regard  to  a  writer  highly  entitled  to 
our  thanks. 


APPENDIX  TO   THK  THIRD    FDITION.  480 

The  following"  is  Palfr;mon's  answor,  oriv(ii  Fcbruniy, 
1760,  to  two  questions  })roposrd  by  one  of"  his  irjuicrs.  Thn 
first  question  respects  adifHculty  the  querist  found  in  describ- 
ings the  character  of  a  Pharisee  under  the  Christian  form,  so 
as  to  prevent  its  being  mistake  n  for  that  of  a  sincere  Christian. 
The  second  respects  the  straftge  notions  of  those,  who,  taJkingf 
in  a  high  strain  about  some  sort  of  union  with  Christ,  and 
justification  before  faith,  or  before  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
at  the  same  time  speak  slightly  of  justification  by  faith. 

"  I  am  not  surprised  at  the  difficulty  you  find  in  drawing 
a  striking  picture  of  the  Pharisee  under  the  Christian  form. 
The  gospel  is  best  illustrated  by  facts,  and  without  the  proper 
facts  the  skill  of  the  best  teacher  will  go  but  short  way. — 
Here  you  may  recollect  a  hint  in  my  third  letter  to  Hervey, 
importing,  that  the  hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisee  could  never 
have  been  effectually  demonstrated  to  the  conviction  of  any, 
if  a  righteousness  exceeding  theirs  had  not  appeared  in  the 
world.  Their  character  was  undoubtedly  the  likeliest  thing 
to  the  Divine  law  that  was  to  be  seen  in  ttie  world  ;  therefore 
every  attempt  to  depreciate  it  must  have  appeared  invidious, 
and  of  profane  tendency,  had  not  an  excelling  righteousness 
appeared.  It  was  their  superlative  enmity  to  Christ,  the 
purit}?-  of  his  doctrine,  and  the  perfection  of  his  character,  that 
laid  their  hypocrisy  fully  open,  yet  only  to  such  as  had  learned 
of  the  Father,  to  understand  the  excellency  of  Christ's  per- 
son, doctrine,  and  character.  Now,  that  Christ  hath  left  the 
world,  the  proper  representation  of  what  provoked  the  Pha- 
risees, and  drew  the  affection  of  such  as  were  taught  of  God, 
is  continued  in  the  world  by  the  union  of  Christ's  disciples 
holding  forth  his  doctrine,  united  by,  and  glorying  only  in 
the  excellency  of  his  person  and  character.  Christ  himself 
refers  to  this,  when  praying  for  the  unity  of  his  disciples,  he 
adds,  That  the  world  may  believe  that  Ihou  hast  sent  me. — 
The  appearance  of  this  union  will  be  found  to  provoke  the 
world,  and  to  draw  the  affection  of  those  who  have  no  hope 
but  in  the  Divine  mercy,  in  the  very  same  manner  as  Christ's 
personal  appearance  in  the  earth  did.  Without  this,  the 
ablest  and  soundest  Christian  teacher  will  only  appear,  either 
as  an  unintelligible,  whimsical  refiner  of  Pharisaical  righte- 
ousness, or  as  invidiously  depreciating  the  best  idea  men  have 
of  real  worth  and  excellence.  In  general,  if  ho  is  an  ac- 
ceptable affecting  preacher,  yet  without  proper  zeal  for  the 
Christian  union  and  separation,  the  most  zealous  Pharisaical 
professors  w^i  11  still  consider  him  as  at  bottom  their  friend; 
lor  such  men  will  always  be  ready  to  construct  the  best  in 


490  APPENDIX  TO  TIIK  THIRD    EDITION. 

their  own  favour,  till  they  see  all  room  for  such  construction 
utterly  cut  off  by  the  most  plain,  striking,  and  demonstrative 
facts,  that  is,  till  they  see  the  Christian  union  fairly  take 
place  without  them,  and  themselves  rejected,  and  boldly 
excluded.  Then  you  will  have  no  occasion  for  laboured 
descriptions  to  characterize  Pharisees;  for  you  will  clearly 
see  their  enmity  to  Christ  manifesting  itself  by  the  most  stri- 
king facts  in  its  ancient  form.  It  appears  to  be  God's  design, 
that  all  the  great  contrasts  established  by  the  gospel,  should 
be  evinced  in  such  a  manner  as  sensibly  to  strike  the  minds 
of  the  meanest  believers,  and  not  depend  for  their  evidence 
on  the  abilities  of  men  skilful  in  the  use  of  words. 

'  As  to  your  next  question,  about  the  strange  ways  of  speak- 
ing fondly,  used  by  some  professors  about  the  time  of  justifi- 
cation, &c.,  I  persuade  myself,  that  a  little  reflection  will 
soon  convince  you,  not  only  of  their  gross  nonsense  and  ab- 
surdity, but  also  that  they  are  to  be  ranked  among  the  nota- 
ble devices  of  Satan  for  depriving  the  plainest  words  of  the 
gospel  of  all  meaning  in  the  minds  of  men,  and,  therefore,  to 
be  rejected  with  the  utmost  scorn  and  indignation.  When 
we  think  of  God,  we  must  consider  him  as  the  first  and  the 
last,  the  Eternal.  Here  all  notion  of  time  utterly  evanishes. 
We  cannot  measure  the  duration  of  God  as  we  do  that  of 
creatures,  by  the  gradual  succession  of  thoughts,  works,  or 
facts;  which  way  of  measuring  is  our  only  notion  of  time. 
Knou'?i  unto  God  arc  all  his  icorks  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world.  But  when  we  think  of  the  manifestation  of  God  to 
his  creatures,  his  acting  toward  them,  dealing  or  corresponding 
with  them  in  any  respect,  (which  is  the  only  way  we  can 
either  think  distinctly,  or  talk  intelligibly  about  him,)  we  must 
attend  to  the  gradual,  successive  progress  of  his  working, 
and,  accordingly,  rank  his  works  in  their  proper  order  of  time  : 
as  it  is  thus  only  that  we  can  see  the  works  of  God  illustra- 
ting each  other,  and  all  conspiring  to  enlarge  our  knowledge 
and  happiness  ;  yea,  it  is  thus  only  that  the  knowledge  and 
happiness  of  angels  are  enlarged.  By  not  attending  to  this, 
some  have  imagined  an  express  contradiction  to  Scripture, 
that  the  new  covenant  was  made  before  the  old,  or  even 
before  the  world ;  that  men  are  justified,  not  only  before 
they  are  sinners,  but  before  they  have  being :  and,  by  mis- 
construing John's  words,  that  the  Lamb  was  slain  before  the 
foundation  of  the  w^orld.  And  with  equal  propriety  they 
might  say,  that  the  hills  were  united  to  the  valleys  before  the 
earth  was  created ;  that  the  eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
calculated  in  our  almanacs  for  the  present  year,  happened 


APPENDIX  TO   THE   THIRD    EDITION.  491 

before  either  sun  or  moon  was  framed:  in  a  word,  that  the 
world  ended  before  it  began ;  and  all  for  the  same  reason, 
because  all  these  were  fixed  points  with  the  Deity  before  the 
world  was,  or  time  began.  The  Hutchinsonian  reasoning 
about  nature  serves  likewise  to  unhinge  and  confound  the 
order  of  the  Divine  works. 

"  Let  us  now  attend  a  little  to  the  clear  and  plain  simplicity 
of  the  Scripture  way  of  speaking  about  God's  works.  Paul, 
speaking  of  the  present  and  future  constitution  of  those  who 
are  redeemed  from  among  men,  says,  "  It  is  sown  a  natural 
body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body  ;  there  is  a  natural  body  and 
a  spiritual  body."  Then,  after  pointing  out  the  difference 
between  the  first  and  second  Adam,  he  adds,  "  Howbeit  that 
was  not  the  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural, 
and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual."  Hence,  we  see,  that 
the  spiritual  or  supernatural  state  of  things  is  all  along  pos- 
terior to  the  natural  in  the  order  of  the  Divine  working. 

"  The  Jewish  kingdom  (in  a  good  measure  similar  to  the 
excellency  of  Adam's  state  in  Paradise)  was  an  improved 
state  of  nature,  by  a  Providence,  extraordinary  indeed,  but 
not  in  the  highest  sense  supernatural;  yet  giving  peculiar 
evidence,  that  the  God  of  Israel  was  the  author  of  nature, 
and  at  the  same  time  afibrding  a  shadow  of  the  truly  super- 
natural and  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  which  did  not 
properly  take  place  till  the  latter  period  of  the  former,  or  till 
the  former  waxed  old,  and  was  ready  to  vanish  away.  God  is 
unchangeably  all,  that  at  any  time  in  the  progress  of  his  work- 
ing he  appears  to  be  ;  yet  God  did  not  clearly  appear  by  his 
works  to  he  just  in  justifying  the  ungodly,  till  the  reign  of 
Tiberius,  when  Christ  died  and  rose  again,  nor,  then,  to  any 
but  such  as  were  enabled  by  Divine  teaching  to  understand 
the  meaning  of  what  was  then  transacted.  And  to  such  as 
are  enabled  to  understand  it  only  to-day,  it  is  in  efTect  much 
the  same  as  if  the  great  event  had  been  accomplished  only 
yesterday ;  since  the  great  benefit  of  God's  saving  work  is 
conveyed  to  men  only  by  the  Divine  revelation  concerning  it, 
and  in  proportion  to  the  clearness  of  that  revelation. 

"  The  benefit  of  Christ's  sacrifice  extended  backward 
through  the  ages  preceding  his  appearance,  but  still  in  a 
manner  suitable  to  the  clearness  of  the  promise  and  its  attend- 
ant illustrations.  Though  the  Lamb  of  God  did  not  take 
away  the  sin  of  the  vvorid  till  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  yet  the 
faithful  of  old  were  comforted  believing  this,  "  God  will  pro- 
vide himself  a  lamb  for  a  burnt-oflering."  They  longed  thus, 
"  O  that  the  salvation  of  Israel  were  come  out  of  Zion!" 


402  APPr.NDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

And  they  said,  "As  for  our  iniquities,  thou  wih  purge  them 
away."  I  shall  here  give  a  siiort  paraphrase  on  a  few  of 
Paul's  words,  Rom.  iii,  24.  Having  declared,  that  all  who 
found  favour  with  God  are  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
ihrough  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  he  adds, 
•'  Whom  God  formerly  exhibited  (in  the  promises  and  types) 
Q  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  for  the  manifestation 
of  his  righteousness,  in  regard  to  his  pausing  over  the  sins  that 
happened  before  in  the  (time  of  the)  forbearance  of  God,  unto 
(until,  toward,  or  in  reference  to  the  farther  expected)  mani- 
festation of  his  righteousness  which  has  now  taken  place  in 
the  present  time,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of 
him  that  believeth  in  Jesus." 

"The  ancient  sacrifices  had,  in  the  minds  of  the  faithful, 
an  aspect  toward  the  accomplishment  of  the  promise;  and 
though  they  could  not  show  God  just  in  justifying  sinners, 
their  repetition  ever  proclaiming  aloud  their  insufficiency, 
yet  they  showed  God  just  in  passing  over,  or  delaying  the 
punishment  of  sin,  till  the  appearance  of  the  true  sacrifice, 
by  which  alone  it  was  to  be  expatiated,  and  in  respect  to 
which  God  said,  he  would  remember  miquity  no  more,  as  he 
had  still  continued  to  do  in  the  case  of  all  the  foregoing  sac- 
rifices. The  sufficiency  of  the  future  atonement  revealed  to 
God's  chosen  of  old,  was  the  ground  of  their  comfort  and 
hope :  that  sufficiency  which  they  believed,  thus  becoming 
their  faith,  was  accordingly  imputed  to  them  for  righteous- 
ness; yet  their  comfort  lay  under  great  disadvantages  from 
the  manner  in  which  that  sufiiciency  was  revealed  to  them. 
You  will  find  this  topic  handled  at  length  in  a  treatise  you 
have  seen,  called,  The  Testimony  of  the  King  of  Martyrs. 

"Since  it  is  evident  from  the  New  Testament,  that  sinners 
are  justified  by  faith  without  works,  nothing,  can  be  plainer, 
than  that  the  precise  time  of  any  man's  justification  before 
God,  is  when  the  sufficiency  of  the  atonement  first  appears  to 
his  hearty  conviction,  so  becomes  his  frith.  In  Paul's  time 
many  of  the  heathen  were  thus  justified.  This  event  was 
ordained  of  God  before  the  world  was,  and  many  ages  before 
it  happened  was  notified  to  Abraham.  Paul  taking  notice  of 
the  ancient  Scripture  testimony  of  this,  expresses  himself  in 
this  manner,  "  The  Scripture  foreseeing  that  God  would  jus- 
tify the  heathen  through  faith,"  &c. 

"  When  Christ  became  exceeding  sorrowful  unto  death,  he 
bare  the  punishment  of  all  his  people's  sins;  and  when  he 
rose,  he  rose  in  the  name  of  his  people,  or  as  their  head  and 
representative.     As  their  head  he  was  justified,  sanctified, 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  493 

blessed,  glorified,  and  admitted  into  fulness  of  joy  in  a 
heavenly  eternal  life  on  the  other  side  of  death ;  so  that  his 
being  thus  made  happy,  effectually  secured  the  like  happiness 
to  all  his  people :  "  For  as  in  Adam  all  died,  even  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive.  But  every  man  in  his  own  order, 
Christ  the  first  fruits,  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his 
coming."  Christ's  people,  then,  who  are  raised  at  his  coming, 
are  not  delivered  from  death  till  many  ages  after  his  resur- 
rection, though,  when  he  rose,  their  resurrection  was  ascer- 
tained and  secured. 

"In  like  manner  must  we  speak  of  Christ's  sanctification 
and  justification.  Paul  declares,  that  Christ's  people  "are 
sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ 
once;"  and,  "By  one  offering  he  hath  forever  perfected 
them  that  are  sanctified."  Yet  none  of  them  experience 
perfecti'in  as  pertai?iin^'  to  the  conscieiice,  till  taught  to  know 
the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ's  sacrifice ;  they  all  continue  to 
come  into  the  world  according  to  the  course  of  nature,  de- 
filed with  Adam's  transgression,  and  liable  to  death ;  under 
the  dominion  of  sin,  and  the  power  of  Satan,  and  exposed  to 
the  curse,  till  God  sends  his  word,  and  heals  them.  Christ 
says,  concerning  his  apostles,  "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  my- 
self, that  they  also  might  be  sanctified  through  the  truth:" 
and  he  immediately  adds,  with  an  eye  to  all  his  people, 
"  Neither  pray  1  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which 
shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word,  that  they  all  may- 
be one,"  &c.  Thus  Christ  intercedes  agreeably  to  the  Di- 
vine constitution  by  vvhich  he  was  glorified.  He  was  glori- 
fied, receiving  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  might  bestow 
eternal  life  on  as  many  as  the  Father  had  given  him ;  and 
this  life  eternal  he  distributes  in  his  proper  times,  when  he 
prevents  the  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  by  the  word  of  his 
grace.  Paul,  speaking  of  Christ  as  a  ransom  for  all,  imme- 
diately adds,  a  tcstimoroy  in  his  own  times. 

"At  whatever  time  Christ  sends  his  gospel  to  any  nation, 
and  opens  the  hearts  of  men  to  admit  it,  then  he  raises  them 
from  their  death  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  then,  and  not  till  then, 
they  are  "  raised  up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,"  and  all  this  only  by  faith. 
For  while,  being  at  home  in  the  body,  they  are  absent  from 
the  Lord,  they  ctn  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his  joy,  only 
in  being:  persurd  d  that  he  is  raised  from  the  dead,  and  that 
having  finished  his  work,  he  doth  not  sta^ni  ministering,  like 
the  priests  who  coull  not  bring  a  perfect  atonement,  but  hath 
forever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high. 
42 


494  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

Accordingly,  Paul  describes  the  believing  Ephesians  in  his 
time  as  thus  raised  and  sitting  with  Christ,  while  he  declares, 
that  in  time  past  they  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath  even 
as  others.  When  Christ  sent  Paul  to  the  Gentiles,  he  said, 
"  Unto  whom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  in- 
heritance among  them  who  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in 
me." 

"  By  faith,  then,  men  are  justified,  sanctified,  obtain  for- 
giveness and  freedom  from  the  curse,  &c.  For  though  it  be 
true  that  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  his  people  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  them  ;"  yet  it  is  no  less  true, 
that  "  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the 
curse."  In  like  manner  must  we  say,  that  men  are  united 
to  Christ,  as  you  see  clearly  evinced  in  the  same  chapter  now 
referred  to.  Gal.  iii.  Yet  no  man  can  be  assured  that  he  is 
justified,  sanctified,  or  united  to  Christ,  but  according  to  the 
Scripture, which  states  the  matter  thus,  Rom.  viii,  1,  "There 
is,  therefore,  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,  \vho  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit."  And  as  to  those  who  walk  otherwise,  whatever  their 
pretensions  may  be,  we  must  still  apply  what  Paul  says 
downward  in  the  same  chapter,  "  Now,  if  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his  " 

"  I  have  chosen  the  rather  to  be  particular  on  this  subject, 
because  not  a  few  who  talk  in  a  high  strain  about  grace, 
atonement,  and  union  with  Christ,  have  changed  the  gospel 
into  a  most  pernicious  and  ungodly  scheme,  blunting  the  con- 
viction of  sin,  and  the  impression  of  the  fear  of  God,  loosing 
the  obligation  to  attend  to  the  perfect  law,  and  serving  to  lead 
professors  to  consider  their  sins  as  less  displeasing  to  God 
and  exposing  to  the  curse,  than  those  of  other  men  ;  en- 
couraging them  all  the  while  in  some  vain  confidence  of  their 
being  united  to  Christ;  whereas,  God  preserves  his  people 
whom  he  hath  chosen  in  a  very  different  manner,  while  he 
follows  them  with  reproofs  from  his  word,  enforced  by  afflic- 
tions from  his  Providence,  compelling  them  to  see  their 
iniquity  in  its  proper  hatefulness;  that  their  sins  are  no  less 
displeasing  to  him,  no  less  obnoxious  to  his  wrath  than  those 
of  others;  in  a  word,  shutting  up  their  every  source  of  hope, 
but  in  that  sovereign  mercy  alone  which  shines  in  Christ's 
death,  for  the  encouragement  of  the  worst  of  mankind.  Thus 
God  deals  with  those  whom  he  hath  not  appointed  to  wrath, 
but  to  obtain  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ  their  Lord.    To 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION.  495 

this  end  are  all  his  fatherly  chastisements;  to  the  effect  now 
mentioned  he  chastens  them,  that  they  may  not  be  condemned 
with  the  world.  The  opposite  pernicious  doctrine,  therefore, 
must  be  opposed  with  all  confidence,  without  respect  of 
persons." 

Though  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  without  works 
has  been  opposed  in  all  ages  from  much  the  same  principles, 
yet  it  is  thought  rude  in  Paloemon  to  compare  the  conduct  of 
the  Christian  with  that  of  the  Jewish  doctors,  in  their  opposi- 
tion to  that  doctrine,  and  methods  of  undermining  it.  How- 
ever, as  a  little  of  the  history  of  that  opposition  may  be  both 
useful  and  entertaining  to  my  readers,  I  shall  here  give  it 
them  in  the  words  of  a  Christian  doctor  of  no  small  repute  for 
piety.  See  Dr.  Heylyn's  Theological  Lectures,  part  1,  p. 
138,  &c. 

"  Abraham  believed*  i.  e.  had  faith  in  the  Lord,  and  he 

counted  it  to  him  for  justice.     From  this  passage  the  name 

faith,  as  a  term  of  theology,  bears  date :  it  was  delivered  down 

from  the  Jewish  church  to  the  Christian  ;  and  Christ,  with  his 

apostles,  used  it  in  the  same  sense  they  found  it. 

"  How  the  word  was  then  understood,  appears  very  clearly 
from  the  Jewish  writers  themselves,  as  you  will  find  by  the 
following  quotation  from  a  temporary  author,  I  mean  Philo, 
the  Jew,  who,  speaking  of  Abraham,  says,  that  being  born  of 
a  father  who  was  an  idolater  he  forsook  his  family,  kindred, 
and  native  country ;  lest,  by  the  superstitions  there  practiced, 

*  "  Gen.  XV,  6.  The  full  explanation  of  this  text  must  be  reserved 
for  its  proper  place :  yet,  besides  what  you  find  in  the  following  quotation 
from  Philo,  I  would  briefly  show  here,  that  faith  is  therefore  counted  for 
justice,  because  by  faith  man  does  his  part  towards  acquiring  it.  It  has 
been  often  said,  already,  that  all  duty  is  comprehended  under  the  name  of 
justice  ;  and  very  lately  I  observed,  that  this  justice  is  rightly  distin- 
guished into  three  principal  parts,  as  it  relates  to  ourselves,  our  neigh- 
bours, and  our  Creator.  The  last  of  these,  viz.  the  duty  we  owe  to  God 
immediately,  and  as  distinguished  from  the  other  two,  is  called  faith. 
Now,  it  is  universally  agreed,  that  men  in  their  natural  state  are  greatly 
defective  in  all  these  three  branches  of  justice,  and  the  Scriptures  de- 
clare, that  faith  is  the  only  means  by  which  we  can  acquire  it :  the  reason 
is,  because  by  faith  we  have  access  to  God,  we  come  under  his  powerful 
influence,  and  receive  his  gracious  communications.  Our  devout  atten- 
tion to  him  obtains  his  favourable  regard  to  ns,  which  operates  power- 
fully upon  the  soul,  to  excite  its  latent  abilities,  and  to  infuse  new 
ones,  which  will  gradually  dispone  it  for  the  performance  of  all  justice. 
As  there  are  different  degrees  of  faith,  so  there  are  different  kinds  of 
justice  ;  but  they  lie  beyond  our  present  design,  which  is  oiJy  to  treat 
of  faith  in  general,  and  give  so  radical  a  notion  of  it,  as  may  hereafter 
be  branched  out  to  its  various  effects  and  operations." 


496  APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION. 

he  should  be  diverted  from  his  studious  search  after  the  only 
God,  Creator  of  all  things  ;  that  he  was  greatly  encouraged  in 
this  search  by  Divine  inspirations;  and  that  he  incessantly 
persevered  in  it  till  he  had  attained  a  satisfactory  notion,  not 
of  the  essence  of  God,  for  that  cannot  be  known,  but  of  his 
existence  and  overruling  providence ;  for  which  reason  he  is 
first  recorded  for  having  faith  in  God,  because  he  first  [of 
those  who  had  not  been  taught  it  by  traditionl  held  a  firm  and 
unshaken  persuasion,  that  there  was  one  Supreme  author  of  all 
things,  by  whose  providence  the  world,  and  all  things  con- 
tinued in  it,  are  disposed  and  governed.  Abraham  having 
attained  this  knowledge,  the  most  fundamental  of  the  virtues, 
he  at  the  same  time  acquired  all  the  rest."     And  again,* 

"It  is  said,  to  the  praise  of  Abraham,  that  he  believed  God, 
[or  had  faith  in  God,  both  are  expressed  by  the  same  word  in 
the  original.]  Some  one  perhaps  may  say,  do  you  judge  this 
worthy  of  praise  ?  What  man  is  there  so  bad  who  would  not 
give  attention  to  God  when  he  speaks  or  promises  anything? 
To  such  an  one  we  answer.  Beware,  O  sir,  beware,  that  you 
do  not  rashly  refuse  this  wise  man  the  praise  due  to  him,  nor 
ascribe  to  unworthy  persons  faith,  which  is  the  most  perfect 
of  the  virtues,  nor  censure  our  doctrine  upon  this  subject ;  for  if 
you  consider  this  matter,  not  superficially,  but  search  it  to  the 
bottom,  you  shall  plainly  see,  that  it  is  no  easy  thing  to  have 
faith  in  God  only,  without  any  other  pledge  :  this,  I  say  is  no 
easy  thing,  by  reason  of  the  close  relation  we  bear  to  what  is 
mortal,  with  which  we  are  yoked,  and  which  forcibly  per- 
suades us  to  have  faith  in  riches,  glory,  power,  friends,  health, 
and  strength  of  body,  with  many  other  things.  Now,  to  efface 
each  of  these,  and  put  no  faith  in  the  creature,  which  is  never 
to  be  trusted  in,  and  to  have  faith  in  God  alone,  who  alone 
can  be  securely  relied  on ;  to  do  this,  I  say,  is  the  act  of  a 
great  and  heavenly  mind,  a  mind  that  can  no  more  be  ensnared 
by  the  things  of  this  world.  And  it  is  well  added,  that  his 
faith  was  counted  to  him  for  justice  ;  for  nothing  is  so  just  as 
to  carry  ourselves  toward  God  with  a  sincere  and  perfect 
faith  in  him  alone:  but  this,  which  is  so  just  and  agreeable 
to  the  nature  of  things,  is  accounted  a  parodox ;  because  of  the 
want  of  faith  in  the  most  of  us,  to  whom,  by  way  of  reproof, 
the  sacred  text  says,  that  firmly  and  incessantly  to  rely  upon 
HIM  WHO  ONLY  IS,  scems  a  wonderful  thing  to  men,  who 

*Vol.  1,  p.  485.  A  large  collection  of  quotations  to  the  same  purpose 
from  otiier  Jewish  writers  may  be  found  in  Christiani  Schoettgenii  Hora 
Hebrakcc  et  Talmudica,  torn.  2,  edit.  Drisda,  1742,  p.  682—687. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  407 

possess  no  real  good  ;  but  is  not  wonderful  to  a  true,  discern- 
ment, for  it  is  the  proper  work  of  justice."' 

"  So  this  Jew  explains  how  the  faith  of  Abraham  was 
coujited  to  hivi  for  justice ;  and  if  faith  had  been  considered 
in  this  light,  when  the  question  of  justification  by  faith  only 
was  so  warmly  agitated,  the  controversy  might  soon  have 
been  composed,  and  great  scandals  prevented.  But  1  return 
to  our  author,  who,  in  all  his  writings,  speaks  of  faith  in  the 
sense  here  represented  ;  and  several  times  finding  occasion 
to  quote  this  6th  verse  of  Gen.  xv,  upon  which  the  doctrine  of 
justification  is  founded,  explains  it  in  such  a  manner,  as 
shows,  that  it  was  then  an  established  doctrine  in  the  Jewish 
schools  of  divinity;  and  yet  St.  Paul's  insisting  on  it,  as  he 
does  so  copiously  to  the  Jewish  converts,  was  a  seasonable 
and  judicious  application  of  a  doctrine  then  commonly  under- 
stood and  admitted. 

"But  as  nothing  is  more  changeable  than  the  meaning  of 
words,  and  that  especially  when  they  come  into  vulgar  use, 
this  word  faith  got  a  new  sense  in  the  first  age  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  was  transferred  to  signify  a  belief  of  the 
gospel  history.  Many  of  the  converts  took  faith  in  this  cheap 
sense.  And  whereas  St.  Paul  had  in  his  writings  retained 
the  original  signification  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
in  the  school  of  Gamaliel,  some  mistook  his  expressions  so 
far,  as  to  assign  those  high  advantages  to  a  notional  belief  of 
Christianity,  which  he  had  ascribed  only  to  a  confirmed  habit 
of  piety,  even  such  as  Abraham  had  attained  to,  and  whereby 
he  had  merited  the  title  oiih.e  father  of  the  faithful.  When 
this  error  spread  in  the  church,  St.  James  zealously  confuted 
it ;  and,  not  standing  to  dispute  about  words^  which  is  need- 
less, when  we  clearly  see  in  what  sense  the  opponents  mean 
them,  he  used  the  term  as  they  understood  it,  and  severely 
censured  the  nominal  faith  with  which  they  deceived  them- 
selves ;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  by  calling  it  a  dead  faith,  he 
sufficiently  intimated,  that  the  name  of  faith  was  as  impro- 
perly applied  by  them,  as  when  the  name  77ian  is  given  to  a 
dead  carcass,  or  when  a  dry  stick,  resting  in  the  earth,  is 
called  a  tree. 

In  the  succeeding  ages  of  the  church,  the  signification  of 
the  word  faith  degenerated  still  more  and  more,  and  was 
adulterated  to  such  a  degree,  that  every  sect  had  its  own 
faith,  as  they  called  it ;  so  that  instead  of  an  habit  of  piety, 
which  is  its  genuine  signification,  men  came  to  understand 
by  it  some  transient  acts  of  credulity  to  nonsense." 

The  reader  may  observe,  that  this  Christian  doctor,  who 


49S 


APPENDIX  TO  TIIK  THIRD  EDITION. 


accords  so  well  with  Philo  and  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  teach- 
ers, at  the  same  time  falls  in  pretty  well  with  the  sentiments 
of  most  Christian  teachers.  'Tis  true,  he  inclines  to  call 
faith  a  habit  of  piety ;  whereas,  those  of  best  repute  for  or- 
thodoxy incline  rather,  alonsf  with  Dr.  Watts,  to  consider  it 
as  a  little  green  bud  containing  the  quintessence  of  piety,  in 
due  time  to  be  unfolded  and  displayed  to  view.  But  this  dif- 
ference is  not  material.  Again,  as  it  is  likewise  thought 
rude  in  Palsemon  to  compare  Christian  teachers  to  the  an- 
cient philosophers,  and  the  gracious  assistance  they  would 
have  unbelievers  hope  for  to  enable  them  to  exert  a  right  act 
of  faith,  to  the  Divine  aid  spokeof  by  philosophers,  the  reader 
may  take  another  quotation  from  one  of  Dr.  Heylyn's  select 
discourses,  called.  The  Connection  of  Religion  with  Morality. 

"  In  Plato's  first  dialogue  concerning  human  nature,  So- 
crates is  introduced  treating  of  that  necessary  fundamental  of 
all  morality.  Know  thyself;  and  he  says,  "  That  we  can 
know  ourselves  only  by  contemplating  the  Divine  nature,  of 
which  our  soul  is  an  image:" — and  he  makes  the  knowledge 
of  God  as  necessary  to  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  as  that  is 
to  morality.  He  says  farther,  "But  if  you  act  unjustly,  and 
instead  of  regarding  God  and  the  true  light,  you  regard  that 
which  is  without  God,  and  full  of  darkness,  you  cannot  but 
do  the  works  of  darkness,  i.  e.  works  full  of  iniquity,  because 
you  do  not  know  yourself"  This  is  a  literal  translation  of 
his  words,  though  they  sound  so  like  phrases  of  Scripture. 

"Again,  Socrates  not  only  teaches  the  duty  of  prayer,  but 
shows  the  necessity  of  Divine  assistance,  for  the  right  per- 
formance of  it,  the  same  which,  in  Christian  style,  we  call 
ihe  Spirits  heljnng  our  infirmities,  because  we  know  not 
what  to  pray  for  as  we  ought;  and  he  shoAvs  convincingly, 
that  God  only  can  prepare  our  hearts  to  pray  worthily,  by 
dispelling  the  darkness  of  the  soul,  and  purifying  it,  so  that  it 
may  distinguish  rightly  between  good  and  evil." 

"  From  these,  and  many  other  passages,  it  appears,  that 
this  pious  philosopher,  was  fully  apprised  of  the  connection 
there  is  between  religion  and  morality ;  that  they  are  one 
and  the  same  in  their  origin,  and  will  ever  thrive  or  decay 
together.  The  same  principle,  doubtless  a  Divine  one, 
which  so  eminently  reformed  the  morals  of  this  egregious 
man,  did  as  remarkably  reform  his  notions  of  religion,  and 
inspired  him  with  the  sentiments  of  Christianity  near  400 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  that  too  in  a  place  and 
age  infamous  for  the  grossest  superstitions  and  idolatries." 

Here  this  pious  doctor  fondly  claims  kindred  in  the  faith 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  THIRD   EDITION.  499 

with  Socrates,  even  as  he  did  before  with  Gamaliel.  It 
concerns  the  rest  of  our  Christian  teachers,  who  would  seem 
to  decline  this  alliance,  to  give  some  substantial  reason. 
Till  then,  Pala^mon  may  be  allowed  at  least  to  compare 
them  all  tog-ether,  and  to  take  it  for  granted,  that  there  is  no 
fundamental  difference  betwixt  them.  For  whether  we 
maintain  a  little  green  bud,  an  act,  or  a  habit  of  piety  neces- 
sary to  acceptance,  our  doctrine  must  be  equally  discouraging 
10  those  who  can  produce  neither,  and  we  must  be  equally 
disaffected  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  without 
works,  or  to  that  doctrine  which  exhibits  God  as  considering 
those  whom  he  justifies  as  no  way  differing  from,  or  excel- 
ling others. 

To  conclude,  Palaemon  ventures  to  turn  the  chace  upon 
his  adversaries,  and  to  claim  the  precedence  even  in  point  of 
orthodoxy.  It  is  affirmed  in  the  subscribed  standards  of 
orthodoxy,  that  justification  is  an  act  of  God's  free  grace. 
This  affirmation  is  well  supported  by  the  New  Testament, 
which  likewise  affirms,  that  God  justifies  the  heathen 
through,  or  by  faith,  even  as  one  illuminates  a  dark  room  by 
introducing  a  candle.  If  the  reader  doubts  the  propriety  of 
this  similitude,  he  miy  take  a  grander  one  from  Paul,  who 
says,  "  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  dark- 
ness, hath  shhied  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge," &c.  To  the  same  purpose  that  Apostle  also  says, 
"By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves; it  is  the  gift  of  God:  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast;  for  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works."  And  James  says,  "  Do  not  err,  my 
beloved  brethren.  Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift,  is 
from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Fatherof  lights,"  &c. 
— "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  by  the  word  of  truth." 
These,  with  many  like  passages  clearly  solve  all  questions 
fibout  the  instrumentality  of  faith  in  justification,  or  by  whose 
agency  men  attain  to  that  justification  which  is  by  faith. 

Now,  readers,  after  you  have  heard  the  orthodox  so  plainly 
affiiining,  that  justification  is  an  act  of  God's  free  grace,  and 
the  Scripture  so  clearly  supporting  that  affirmation,  suffer 
them  not  to  put  the  change  upon  you.  Beware  of  their  cir- 
cumlocutions. Whenever  they  begin  to  talk  to  you  of  any 
iitt  you  are  to  exert  in  order  to  acceptance,  and  to  call  it  a 
justifying  act,  which  you  arc  to  exert  by  the  help  of  God's 
j^race,  be  you  ready  to  reply,  avaunt;  none  of  your  tricks. 
You  have  already  asserted,  and  we  holl  you  fast  by  this  as- 
&;.'rtion,  that  justification  is  an  act  of  God's  dee  grace. 


500  APPFNDIX  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

Remember  also,  that  the  teachers  of  orthodoxy  call  them- 
selves preachers  of  the  gospel,  and  that  the  word  gospel  is 
allowed  to  signify  good  news,  or  glad  tidings ;  which  you 
know,  in  every  other  case,  gladden  the  heart  so  soon  as  they 
are  understood  and  known  to  be  true.  Whenever,  then,  they 
begin  to  tell  you  of  any  pious  act  necessary  in  order  to  ac- 
ceptance, you  can  immediately  reply,  this  is  no  news,  for 
Moses  long  ago  told  us  our  duty,  assuring  us  of  happiness  in 
our  compliance:  neither  is  it  glad  tidings  to  us  in  our  pre- 
sent circumstances  If,  then,  you  would  preach  gospel  to  us, 
you  must  tell  us  something  fit  to  give  us  joy,  as  we  presently 
stand  unconscious  of  any  distinguishing  qualification. 

July,  1762. 


DATE  DUE 

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